CHICAGO – Shorthanded from their first practice of training camp through the 104-94 Game 3 loss to the Miami Heat Friday night at United Center in their Eastern Conference semifinals series, the Chicago Bulls have remained stoic throughout — sphinx-like, even.

At no point during a season defined as much by who hasn’t played as who has – no Derrick Rose at all, no Luol Deng or Kirk Hinrich for about half of this playoff run now – have they whined. No grousing, no feeling sorry for themselves, no covetous glances or comments about the relative health of their opponents.

The Bulls have fallen in line behind their coach, Tom Thibodeau, who replays the same half dozen or so responses to any questions he fields about the team’s shortage of healthy players. More than enough to win. Do your job. Next man up. More than answers, they’re mantras and affirmations, repeated so often now that the fellows in Chicago’s dressing room truly believe.

Only it’s gone on too long now. The manpower disadvantage Chicago drags onto the court each game in this series against the NBA’s defending champions is starting to seize up on them. It’s frustrating, facing mighty Miami outnumbered and undermanned, and it’s starting to poke through not as woe-are-we grumbles about their injury plight but in a creeping sense of persecution.

Maybe it’s not merely the unfairness of relying on the same seven or eight players night after night, the Bulls more than hinted after Friday’s defeat, while the Heat can draw a rotation from 10 or 12. Maybe it’s the impossibility of winning basketball games five-on-eight, when three on the other side have whistles.

Yes, for the last few days, Thibodeau and the Bulls have gone there.

“We’re well aware of what’s going on,” the coach said after a game in which his backup center Nazr Mohammed got ejected for pushing Miami’s LeBron James in the second quarter and his starter Joakim Noah got called on what might have been an offensive rebound in the final minutes.

The former, a stunning moment that saw the NBA’s Most Valuable Player toppling backwards (and looking for the best place to land as he fell), cost Chicago Mohammed’s services, which typically provide 10 or 15 minutes rest for Noah. The latter, with the Bulls down 88-83 with 3:15 to play, might have triggered a four- or five-point swing when Noah’s foul coughed up the ball and the Heat’s Chris Bosh sank two free throws.

“When you play this team, you have to have a lot of mental, physical and emotional toughness,” Thibodeau said. “And things aren’t going to go your way. We’re not going to get calls. That’s reality. We’ve still got to find a way to get it done. And we can.”

That might read like typical Thibs-ese, but there are insinuations in it of a double standard at work. Thibodeau has dropped in comments about the Bulls “not getting calls” each day since their 115-78 meltdown in Game 2 Wednesday, when Chicago players were slapped with six technical fouls and both Noah and Taj Gibson were ejected.

Fact is, the sense that Miami might try to muscle up in this series dates back to Chicago’s streak-busting victory on March 27. After that game, in which the Heat’s run of consecutive victories ended at 27, James complained publicly about the Bulls being overly aggressive – particularly two “not basketball plays” in which Hinrich tackled him and Gibson knocked him down awkwardly in the lane. James acted out his frustration that night, slamming into Bulls forward Carlos Boozer to earn his own flagrant foul.

But the tone was set.

Game 1 flew below the radar, Miami searching for its game and its edge beneath some layoff rust and a lack of urgency dating back weeks. But Game 2 got snarly – in the tradition of Dwyane Wade pushing Rip Hamilton into the seats last season – and Game 3 wanted to go that way, too, if not for referee Joey Crawford, and his notoriously short fuse, working as the night’s top cop.

Still, it didn’t stop Mohammed. After the backup center fouled James to prevent a fast break, the Miami star pushed back – harder – sending the bigger man to the floor. Mohammed got up and, without even realizing James had just earned a technical foul for that move, shoved back. James went reeling, lost his balance or folded in a little theatrics exaggerating the impact enough that Mohammed was a sure goner from the game. Easy ejection.

Only he didn’t. Asked specifically about the refs’ decision to eject Mohammed, the Bulls coach said: “I didn’t think it warranted an ejection. I understand a flagrant foul. I understand that. But an ejection? No. No. Nope.”

Mohammed said he never imagined he would get tossed, given James’ shove triggered his reaction. And that’s where the context of what had happened – the way the series has gone, the way most of the games between Chicago and Miami have gone the past three seasons – bubbled to the surface.

“I look at some plays that have happened through the series already,” Mohammed said. “Guys jumping on [Nate Robinson‘s] face. [A] Guy tackling Marco Belinelli out of bounds. Guy takes out Nate first play of the game. I mean, there have been a lot of plays that didn’t [get] ejections.

“I’m disappointed in myself. I let my teammates down, I could have been out there to help. I’m disappointed in myself also because my son was probably watching the game. I don’t want him to see that type of behavior on the court. But I’m also disappointed it warranted an ejection for something like a push when I got pushed down first.”

There also was a heated moment late in the first quarter when Miami’s Chris “Birdman” Anderson fell atop Robinson along the baseline and wasn’t getting off him fast enough to suit Noah. The Heat do seem to aim their falls so they land on opposing players, so Noah rushed over and shoved Andersen, as he was untangling from the Bulls guard. It was a sneak preview of the Mohammed-James altercation.

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra brushed aside questions about the dust-ups, calling them “inconsequential” to the outcome. And, mostly, Spoelstra was right. Chicago could not get stops when it needed them down the stretch and the Heat got a big game from Bosh, unexpected help from backup guard Norris Cole and timely scoring late from James.

But the Mohammed and Noah incidents did matter to Chicago, same as nudge foul by Jimmy Butler on James for a three-point play that made it 99-90. The series is one of attrition for the Bulls, so more than doling out free throws, any disparity in how fouls are assessed further shortens their bench and dictates which players Thibodeau can keep on the floor, for fear of maxing out with six.

Miami can play with abandon, as the Bulls see it, because it has numbers on them. Its stars rarely veer into foul trouble – James had only three games this season of more than three fouls and never fouled out, while Wade had one disqualification and five more with more than three – and there is depth for everyone else.

“I’m watching how things are going,” Thibodeau said. “I see how things are going. I watch very closely. And what I’m seeing, we’ll adjust accordingly.”

Coming from a guy who’d rather sing the anthem pregame than make excuses or shift responsibility anywhere but within, it was telling. A sign, it seemed, that the toothache of missing players had pounded on too long.

Also telling: Noah’s reaction when asked late Friday if that March 27 game and James’ gripes about it had bled into how Miami was playing and the refs were calling things now.

“Nah, I don’t think so,” the Bulls center said.

His words said one thing. His eye roll, broad enough for Broadway, said another.

As a Bulls fan, I absolutely think physical play is the only chance at beating the Heat. Of course, we’re going to lose and Miami is going to win the championship, but the Bulls are giving it their all, which is good enough for me.

Another thing, I cannot believe that fans complain about physical play! How do they not find it entertaining?

the bulls cant beat the heat.. they are trying to get james or wade or bosh or anyone really, to fight back and get ejected so that the game can be a little more even… the bulls stopped playing basketball in game 2…. lebron or wade arent going to fight back dudes so stop trying…. now that the bulls kow we wont fight back, at least physically, they are more terrified because they know now that they actually have to play basketball…which they cant… HEAT IN 5 !!

Wake up NBA. Thibodeau has brought on all this physical play by his standard of coaching. He has been talking about how physical the bulls are and wll be for the past three years now. His players play just like he coaches, out of control. He should realize that these kind of tactics dont work against good teams. They only lead to shoddy play and players playing out of control as they try to be more physical than good. Sorry D Rose is not playing in the series but really, I can understand why he is not… Being injured and trying to physically and mentally overcome it, he knows this type of play is not safe. He does not want to miss another season.
Whether they realize it or not, I think they would have a much better chance of beating Miami is they just put aside all the physical antics and played the game as it is meant to be played. When will they learn?

bulls should stop this uber physical play..this aint football..nazr mhmd on the other hand..after that stupid tech. foul and ejection he still high five kids along his way to the exit..you’re sending a wrong message..

Officiating in 1st & 2nd games was not good too, but in the 3rd game it was disgusting. Please don’t refer to Heat regular season games. All season referees favor Miami, but in playoff it can’t be acceptable. It’s not about Bulls. Any team that plays against Miami would experience the same problem.
Watch tape please and pay attention on LeBron’s left hand in attack and how he is moving a shoulder when sets a screen.

okay first of all im a major heat fan but im not biased. i agree without the prescence of hinrich deng and rose, the bulls have done an amazing job coming this far. but seriously i really dont get why they are being this physical against miami. it is only against miami that they are this pohysical. and if theyre are going to be physical, they have to at least take the charges. they are basically eating their own tails. that shoving part of lebron was unnecxessary since lebron already had a technical foul for that play. and like many other comments above me, that was a very stupid move by mohammed. they obviously wants to get lebron mad and ejected. see how now was happy when mario and bosh were fighting. they want the same thing for lebron. but lebron being the smart guy that he is doesnt waste his energy on stupid fights that will get him penalized like most of the bulls players;. thibodeau tactic of fouling is turning around to bite him. delusional bulls fans needs to stopp whining that miami gets away with fouls. yeah right. im sure all the officials in nba are bias toward miami and do not call their fouls. plllzzz. . miaami plays fair and square like many other teaams in the nba. they dont need to play bulls dirty trick. last year when there was roise and deng, bulls played fair and square. but this years, since they know they are shorthanded, they result to dirty trick.. ridicoulous

Now, I’m not a heat or bulls fan but I enjoy watching this series. I can speak unbiasley that the heat are the better offensive team and the bulls are the better defensive team. It’s surprising to see the Bulls are sticking in these games without 3 of their top offensive players. I feel that the heat get a majority of the foul calls because of the popularity of the big 3.. Several of the fouls I’ve noticed are just NBA playoff fouls, ie… the no layup rule!! Heat fans and Bulls fans just shut up and watch the game thru neutral eyes and you will see that the refs are 1 sided in most of the calls, especially crucial ones.

Bottom line you have to protect your players, mohhamed overreacted because everyone knows if James overreact it’s a definitely a win for the bulls. Mohhamed was only put in game to foul LeBron and it doesn’t help he was going full steam to just stop someone abruptly. I think the bulls are just lad rose doesn’t want to play, he is really acting like a diva right now he’s not 21 years old anymore time flies

I think it’s somewhat ridiculous to just come out and claim that the Heat don’t get called for fouls and the Bulls get called for non fouls. In three games (2 in Miami) the Bulls have attempted 75 freethrows and the Heat 84. That’s a discrepancy of 9 freethrows over three games. That’s before considering all the freethrows the Bulls gifted Allen with all their technicals and before considering those intentional fouls by the Bulls at the end of Game 3.

I mean you can make a case if it’s a glaring disparity like the one in that Warriors@Lakers game (50-16), but don’t try and tell me that the Bulls have the talent to consistently draw more freethrows than the best team in the league, when they are without 3 starters and the Heat are completely healthy. In the 4 regular season matchups, the Heat averaged 22.5 freethrow attempts to the Bulls 17.5.

It’s funny how all the “ref help” criticism is going on the Heat, what about the Spurs? Numerous questionable calls on Bogut in several games and the other Warriors bigs (without whom they have no chance, especially Bogut), blocks called as fouls etc. How about the Thunder and the amounts of free throws they take? Let me guess, the Thunder drive a lot therefore the free throws (but this doesn’t apply for the Heat ofcourse, how could it?).

I definitely agree, the spurs have always gotten the benefit of the call whether it’s parker driving, ginobli or Duncan. Durant gets touched and they are calling everything no wonder he’s averaging 35 in the playoffs, 10 to 13 of those points are in the free throw line

Whats funny to me about this is the fact that the Bulls didn’t see this coming. The league is well aware that they don’t have their stars. They have our sympathy. But to broadcast EVERY DAY that your gameplan is to foul Miami hard because you think they’re soft, and then get mad when refs call fouls on you more often is ridiculous. But of course people who hate Miami are going to agree with that.

This isn’t to say that some of these calls aren’t blatantly wrong, but it goes for both sides. Battier’s sixth foul was clearly a charge, and he should have gotten the call. He didn’t. Nate Robinson should have gotten a tech for being in Cole’s face after he scored in game 2. Had LeBron done that, he would have gotten a tech, no doubt. I don’t think the Bulls are dirty per se, but drawing attention to the fact that they think Miami is soft and that by muscling up on them you’ll win is foolish if you don’t expect fouls to get called on you. Miami is muscling up too, but they’re doing it smarter.

The author of this article also forgot to include how the commentators also mentioned that it seemed that nazr muhammad entered I to the game to foul. James…. funny how that was not included in the article… really biased

Everyone keeps talking about the physicality of the sport…. Its basketball, its suppose to be physical, take a look at how the sport was in the 90’s and you’ll see how soft the nba has gotten
if you guys dont wanna see a physical match, go watch golf

i see a lot of miami fan on this site for those who thinking miami ain’t got no special treatement in the league step back and look closely when they play and u will know the verdict the league is the one who decide who win and who lose when it come to miami jordan is gone koby will be soon so there must be someone to replace and they know with out some ring lebron will never get the status of a great player like koby and jordan is so they making sure of that by giving them the refere and the games so they could make money and profite a league with out a big star to talk about is a league where people will take les interest in and the rating will fall down one thing is for sure the heat will win the championship and not because they do it by them self but because the league has laready decided that is why i will never waist my money to go see a game and i wont waist my time watching it on tv what is the point of watching a fix game when it’s not the player who decide the outcome of the game

Not a bad article but definitely biased in favor of the Bulls. Tell me what Chris Andersen could have done differently to avoid having Noah grab him and shove him aside. Uncalled for. Look at the way he fell and actually avoided the body and was getting off of him when he was pushed. Miami was trying to play respectable and does so until the Bulls push them too far where a retaliation is warranted. And the Lebron call…Why should he have to hold ground when an play off the ball like Nazr’s pushes you down. Then your coach defends him and insinuates a flop? I don’t care if your Lebron, Mugsy, or Shaq, if your not expecting someone big like Nazr to push you backwards with force like that, your going to go down. The fact is that the Bulls play ball like it’s a street game and not professional ball. After saying that, I would like to pay Boozer a compliment on his composure this past game. I thought he ground well against Bosh but not in a way that was dirty.

For those of you who thinks the Bulls are dirty rather than physical, hv you watched any games they played during regular season? They’re playing the same way.

I’d like to challenge any of you who say the Bulls are dirty & point out where exactly they played dirty in examples, where they didn’t get called. I’ve been watch most of the off ball actions & both teams grabs, push, little actions….. BOTH teams.

This is the NBA. I remember in one of the sessions with Steve Smith, Ernie & Shaq, Steve gave a great example. It’s game 7 in finals, 2 minutes left, tie score, you hv a chance to do something to the player you’re defending off the ball, but it’s a foul (eg. grab) & you may likely get away with it. Are you gonna do it? You do it it increases your chances of championship ring. You don’t, you may regret it for the rest of your life. So you’d do it.

How about Jordan’s final shot as a Bull, in slightly nudging off Byron Russell with his left hand? Is he dirty? You tell me.

For all you Heat fans, don’t worry one bit. THe league is protecting LBJ. They’re safe.

Though I must point out, if they acted & behaved how Thibs said, they might hv had a better chance. Mohammad should not have pushed off. LBJ was called for a foul already. Just let it go even if you felt unfair. The refs are looking for such slips to get help for Heat.

Then when Bosh was yelling @ Chalmers, Noah should hv just shut-up instead of clapping “yeah, yeah” right beside them. Chalmers score imm on next possession.

Immature!!! If they played with the attitude of the Celtics last yr where they faced 4 technicals & many unfavorable calls & didn’t buldge, they bring this thing to game 7 & almost won. Rondo was prime example of how he learnt his lesson. He chest bumped & got suspended & was lucky that PP had a great game to salvage the situation. Then, he played much more under control & humble in the Heat series.

it’s all around the refs. It is obvious that the ref’s didn’t call fouls that were obviously a foul on Miami, but go down the the other side and the slightest touch they called a foul. That 3 from Marco, he was fouled plain as day but no foul was called. Goes back to the other side and picks up a foul. These games needs new refs… better refs.

And Miami was flopping all over the place, which is extremely cheap,. Miami isn’t all that good, good teams don’t flop. That’s just dirty and cheap…Good is where you play the game the way it’s supposed to be played… not trying to foul people out just to make it easier on you – that seems like the cowards way out if you ask me. Can’t say that about the Bulls though, playing without Rose, Deng, or Hinrich is really hard… They are already injured enough… you don’t need to rub it in.

All in all, I think Miami is desperate. They don’t think they can beat the Bulls playing fair…which isn’t as accurate as some think, If they all played fair, there isn’t a prediction and it would be a good series, most likely game 7 again. Oh well, that’s good. If Miami looses this year, there’s always next year. I don’t think it’s possible to win it all… all the time. Miami’s going to lose at some point… regardless on how they play.

The person who should be blamed for the position the Bulls are in is the coach. Your missing key players due to injuries but instead of using every healthy player on your bench to give your starters rest, your bright ideal is to play all your starters 45 to 48 minutes a game. And Bulls fans wonder why there losing this series, your coach hasn’t adjusted his game plan because obviously its not working. This is win or go home and you got able bodies watching the whole game from the bench like there paid fans with end of the bench seats. He’s the real problem and he’s the reason D Rose got injured last year playing him all those darn hours. Smdh!

I watch NBA from a continent where basketball is played differently. Our game is not based on extreme athleticism of most players thus making it a bit less physical. It is not frowned upon or punished if someone plays physical. It just shows that in a close game, you are willing to go one step further. But there is one more important difference – the players are rarely seen displaying barbaric behavior on court. The cost of such behavior is to high – both players go with technical fouls and the next thing they say is resulted in ejection. As for some of you guys complaining about every fast break ending in a foul – that is how you play defense. Sure a chase-down block is spectacular and all but a foul is so much more effective. And it’s what gets you results. I’m not saying wins but that’s the style of game bulls seem to think to be most suitable for the current situation. Perhaps you don’t care or just think of us (Europeans) as crazy but the kind of managing Tom does is often admired. For instance – try to Google “Jose Mourinho” – genius or just a prick? Can’t say, but he is one of the few coaches to have won the Championship League (football- soccer if you prefer) with two different teams, both times against opponents who were certain to win.
All in all it’s a great series – watching two teams with completely different mentalities, options and styles of play trying to best each other.

The lack of talent of Chicago make them play “physically”. And even been over aggressive and bullish, they can’t win. So, they have to find someone guilty for their losses: the refs…
By the way, the writer of this article is clearly a Bulls fan (or just another hater), to say so many stupid things. I am not even sure that he watched the game. Or he is at the service of the Bulls. Biased!

That shove from Mohammed would have resulted in 1 technical foul, but not ejection, ejection is normally called if players get tangled up and they really fight, not with just a shove. if that was the case, there would have been a lot more ejection through out the season.

But let’s be rational and talk about calls in the last 4 minutes

4 bad calls / should have called… in the last 4 minutes… all in favor of cryami…
Dinosaur vs Noah… Noah’s clean rebound became loose ball foul…
Wade vs Belinelli… Belinelli’s 3 point was a foul in… but no call
Norris Cole pushing Noah off (this should be called since the ref called for Mohammed’s ejection / allowed Dinosaur to flop)
The refs didn’t call the foul when Bulls intentionally fouled the heat… so that time is winding down…

only 1 50-50 call in favor of bulls… when Battier attempted to take a charge… his body was there… but his foot was moving… so he was called… technically it is still a right call although this would be called the other way round, usually, and it seems to be in favor of bulls.

Summary 4 calls in favor of miami, 1 call in favor of bulls… which is significant enough to change the game (87:83 game)… I didn’t say who would have won the game, there is no way to determine, because the bulls had some stupid plays, which I don’t know if that is because of the frustration from those calls.

Suggesting from the way that bulls can finish the games, it is likely that heat will advance, if they face Pacers, who plays serious defense, I am sure there will be cry babies whining about physical plays. It is time for you cry babies to wake up. Lebron started the physical play, his been fighting in to the paint for the dunk, which is fine for me, but can’t blame for the physical plays in the paint, because he was the one who started to muscle in the paint, in the regular season, people will move out to avoid the poster, but this is the playoffs, players will try their best to defend. If the offense player fights into the paint with pure muscle strength, it is reasonable for the paint defender to defend with physical plays, if the offense player whines and gets PROTECTION from CALLS in the PAINT… WHAT IS THE MEANING OF PLAYING IN THE PAINT… playing in the paint was meant to be physical.

LeBron James is the King…..of Flop! Face it heat fans. As strong as he is, his mindset is all about flopping just to get others ejected. A manipulative, whining, gonna-take-my-talents-to-south-beach-cause-i-don’t-trust-my-teammates-in-cleveland mentality. That’s your LeBron James.

why does the NBA even allow a writer like this to put up articles? clearly this is the worst article of all time, is the NBA so desperate? there are tons of better writer out there that have more sense heck i could even make a better article than this. quality is going down I’m disappointed with the NBA.

bulls playing basketball. its part of the game.. if it is’nt, then they should have been warned by the league. bulls just plays great defense. even without playing with a superstar.. miami heat alot of stars.

It is normal for people that don’t have a good basketball team to hate the MVP and the best team in the league. Those teams should be happy for being on the east side because in the west they wouldn’t even make it to the playoffs….

First of all Nazr Mohammed hacked james, if he was trying to stop james he could have just grabbed him and left it at that. Instead, he hacked James, totally unnecessary contact.

For nazr to say he got pushed, is bogus. He deserved to get ejected. I think James didn’t deserve the technical. But it just goes to show you the Bulls ARE indeed cry babies. That aren’t playing proper basketball.

I don’t really see the Bulls complaining that the play has gotten physical. They’re complaining that their physical play is getting them foul calls while the Heat’s physical play in response to the Bulls is not getting as many calls. For everyone out there saying the Bulls are whining about the physical play please point me to the part in the article where it says that. They’re complaining about the refs, not the physicality of the games. Oh and another thing, why are the Bulls being vilified for this type of physical play when this is basically how the Pacers win all of their games. Not to mention it’s how the Pistons won two championships in ’89 and ’90. Really, if you want to rip on the Bulls for complaining about the refs go right ahead. But don’t act like a bunch of wussies and complain about the physical style of play that they’re trying to bring.

The Miami heat are a disgrace to basketball.. they are the “best” team and need all that whistles to win games… despite the flagrants etc.. if you want to push… play hard get steals rebounds and from nowhere a whistle for a a foul blows.. how can you win.. you are also undermanned… how are you supposed to win? it just impossible!!! with all their team healthy – without Rose – and 50-50 referying the bulls would have won this series and sent miami to south beach one our earlier… they are gonna win this series…. i just hope this thing wont continue to the finals.. or else they can give the heat the trophy without and playoff games beeing played!!

Bulls are Bullies. I guess if they can’t beat Miami, they will try and beat up Miami. Miami plays basketball and the Bull play like Bullies. It won’t work this season. Thibideau created this problem because he works his players to the bone and no wonder a lot of the players are too exhausted and hurt in the playoffs. This is all the coaches fault. While Pop of the Spurs rests their player, Thib works them to the point of injury and exhaustion. Shame on you. You have nothing to complain about because Thib created this. Good for Miami!!! And the way Miami has to play hard against the bull, D. Rose would be stupid to play in the playoffs because the Bull have created a bar room brawl. You can’t push someone in the chest unexpectedly and not expect to be ejected!

always the refs.. well i guess that’s what it is now in NBA. If somebody is losing they will blame the refs all the time. come on guys. grow up! watch the game first before you post your comments here. 1. The technical foul that slaps to lebron james should not be technical. this mohammed guy grab and foul him hard and james didn’t push him HARD – just what like this writer is telling. 2. Birdman didn’t intentionally land on robinson. its just the momentum when birdman blocks the shot of nate. And i’m surprise they slap him with a foul. if u have watch the game even the commentators were surprise because they think that was a clean block. And about the physicality, the heat are just returning the favor. If u watch the halftime interview with james, he said that if thats what the bulls will do then they accept the challenge. I will not be surprise if in these coming games you will see blood sheds all over. the way bulls are playing now, they are just so desperate to win and advance to conference finals even if they are hurting their opponents. Honestly i’m not a lebron james fan. Nor the Miami Heat. I just love basketball. And the way the Bulls playing now, they should not be playing in the NBA, But in the streets.

Look here…. the Bulls did not win a series against Miami two years straight with Rose and even the “mob squad” which is an even better bench, so to even think that they can win now needs a reality check. The Bulls will need more that Noah, Boozer or Loul Deng or Robinson with a healthy Rose to win against the Heat. With the exception of Robinson, these guys have always been there playing against Miami the past two years, they did not win then, what makes them think they can win now. Even the Jordan era took the addition of key players before they started winning it all. And please…. I am a Jordan fan, Rose is a very good player and an all star but the fact remains that he is not Michael Jordan or even better that him. So Chicago fans should stop dreaming that his return would make a difference.

When the Heat lost to end the streak and game 1 of this series, I thought that the Heat could have won those games but complained too much and lost focus on the game – the only way they can win against the Bulls is to shut up and just play – dish-out what they are taking and man-up…. that is what they are doing now in the past two games and indeed they won those games. The Bulls right now should just do the same, just shut-up and play the game. Stop complaining that the they are not getting the calls and just play, if they are as good as they think they are then they can win – real good teams will win no matter what, if they loose then it simply shows that they are not good enough to reach go deep into the playoffs – it is their GMs work to make the improvement.

chicago bulls won because of their physical play, too unfair foul play not as Miami Heat kept playing, my point here is the cutting of 27 consecutive wins miami heat, the heat lost because the dirty and physical game the bulls, that was last night mohhamad played like a wrestler tsk tsk tsk mr.mohhamad the games you played is not a wrestling competition

All I can say is…that the bulls…right now…are going through what the rest of the league did 20 years ago when Michael Jordan played FOR THEIR TEAM and got ALL THE CALLS while my teams got DESTROYED. I hated the Bulls just like chicago fans hate Miami right now….but truth be told…..chicago is the ABSOLUTE LAST team in the league to complain about any DOUBLE-STANDARD when their team gave birth to it. And as far as their non-basketball plays…those are all planned out and orchestrated by their coach, Tom Thibodeau in an attempt to get retaliations from James, Wade, Bosh or any impact player for miami. They’re just hoping to get them ejected/suspended to give an edge to their injured, desperate now aimless team….all the while tarnishing the entire league and bringing shame to the game and so I say to the WINDED city……lose with dignity, as the great players before have. Regards

This is the most biased article I have read around here… Come on! The Bulls say they ae playing with the heart, but they are really playing dirty, in an attempt to intimidate the Heat. However, they have to wake up and understand that the Heat is an experienced team and the defending champions.
The Miami Heat players don’t like all the physicality, just like any other NBA team doesn’t, not even the Bulls. A proof of that is that now the Bulls players and coach start complaining when the Heat also plays tough.
In my opinion, the Bulls coach is incentiving the way his team is playing and this is irresponsible. You can hear it when he was wired last night and told his player to go to the body and make the Heat player feel unconforatable. It does no good for the basketball and for the spectacle that the playoffs should be.
Also, I don’t know what Nazr Mohammed is complaining about… He faulted LeBron and grabbed his arm and there’s only so much a player can get being beat all the time. After faulting he also thought that he could push the MVP? Yes, my friend, you had to go to the shower earlier, but looks like it didn’t help to cool down your head. By the way, Nazr is the same player that entered in the end of the second game make vicious moves with clear intention to hurt Heat players.
Now, say that the refs are helping the Heat? That’s a complete absurd! There were mistakes that impacted both sides of the court. Say that is try to distort the reality. Let’s attain to the facts: The Bulls are playing physically and they made 30 personal fauls, 10 more than the Heat. I accept that the Bulls can be bullish, like Noah interfering on the discussion between Bosh and Chalmers, but I don’t like the “intensity”, to do not say violence they have been playing, nor shoving the Birdman for no reason.
So, stop the nonsense and the BS and let’s play some ball! But go for the ball not for the body! The playoffs should not be used as an excuse for playing dirty, but as a reason to show beautiful Basketball.

Playing your heart out is very important. But you have to remember to play basketball itself too. Nazr is supposed to be a veteran and should know how to react in certain situations. Him shoving LBJ to the floor was clearly a bad move.Sometimes you have to see who you are doing some of these things to. If you can be considered, at least, to have matching talents, well people can understand. His motive was clear. He wanted James to respond. If they both get tossed, Nazr wins. And as good a coach as Thib is, I can’t believe he considered that a flop.How dumb do you have to be not to see that one?

It seems that many of the people commenting cannot read. The Bulls were not complaining about physical play from their opponents. There game was called poorly by the referees. There were some mistakes that went for both sides. A majority of those went the Heat’s way. There is no doubt, after watching this series so far, that the referees or the NBA favor Lebron and the heat. They feel the playoffs will draw higher ratings with the Heat playing, or the refs have money on the game like they have in the past.

Everyone is saying that Miamis just being physical back so deal with it. The thing is, i like that the Heat are being physical, this has been such a great series to watch, but the calls need to go to both sides, thats the thing that makes it not fun to watch anymore

Steve Ascheburner, it’s obvious you don’t know very much about basketball, but why are you so prejudice against the Heat? First of all, when LeBron was pushed to the ground, you called it theatrics… NO WAY!! You need to look at it again buddy. And… when Anderson fell on top of Robinson, he was already off of him when Noah came over to commit his technical foul. Then you say that the Heat always look to land on top of an opposing player. If you knew anything about basketball, you would know that when it gets physical, you have to play harder. Did you even watch the second game? Who was the aggressor in that game? The Heat do not play ANY OTHER TEAM this way. It is because they are intimidated by the Bulls flagrance and unsportsmanlike play. Are you paid by Chicago to say the things you do? I played organized basketball high school and college and I know the rules. Your comments are very bias. Maybe you should learn them first before criticizing?

Noah is a fake tough guy. Likes to get in Chalmers face. Why doesn’t he get in UD’s or Birdmans face? If you she-cago fans and writers would set down the Old Style for a moment you might see that ‘Brons complaint on the end of the season game is on shots to the head. The league does not want to see that. His other complaint is the tackles in transition where players can get hurt. I supose in the Bulls rulebook you can tackle and Miami has to play two hand touch. Noah will keep complaining and keep getting ejected for his fake-tough-guy-rebound-over-the-back-been-sitting-in-the-paint-longer-than 4-seconds-style-of-play. Maybe he should of stuck to tennis….there you be the prima donna of whinning and complaining.

some of you dont understand what “Taking a charge” thats not floppin its strategy players sacrifice their body for those plays, NBA rules protects that, i hate those charge, NBA should erradicate it, but as for as now thats NOT flopping and its not getting ‘Help from the refs”.

Miami isn’t the first champion team to “get” calls. It is littered in the annals of time in the NBA, that the best team always have some preference (the Bulls, Lakers, etc. All got calls their way). Don’t begrudge it, when a team becomes a champion, they get looked after. Why is it that Chicago are allowed to physically bully other teams?? Play clean basketball. The game has moved on from the dirty tactics of the 80’s and 90’s. Mainly because the fans don’t want the dirty play…My opinion is just quietly, the league will not condone the physical style of play that Chicago are displaying. Its a throwback to the dirty “Bad Boy” days, which the league does not want.

Steve Aschburner this is the worst article i have read in a long time. it just doesnt make sense, Bosh didnt flopped he fell, (if you have ever played the game, you’d knew that its easy to fall down when you there is contact in mid- air) should’ve been a foul of course NOT! but that aint as easy to see for a refs. they dont get to make their judgements after slo mo replays like we all do. why didnt you mentioned when Battier was fouled out, wasnt that a total charge? Or saying the HEAT aim to fall in chicago’s player…please just stop that, at the moment noah pushed battier he was just sitting at nate’s side. BUT the one thing i DONT understand is how is it possible that anyone thinks nazr mohammed should’ve not been ejected, cuz he says some HEAT players pushed bulls player and didnt get ejected really? HE DIDNT PUSHED HIM ON A BASKETBALL PLAYED HE WAS TRYING TO START A FIGHT! LeBron pushed him down, there is the physicallity bulls love (Act and expect they react) he got T’d up, Great call by crawford, and Nazr stand up and pushed him back and he dares to compare it with actual basketball plays? and you second that steve? smh SMH thats dissappointing for any sport writer.

The game was not biased. There were some missed calls but not to anyone’s favor. I could point out just as many calls that went Chicago’s way (clear path foul on Lebron, blocking foul leading to Battier fouling out, etc.). If you think pushing a guy to the floor does not warrant an ejection, I suggest moving on to WWF. Not to mention that in game 1, the calls favored Chicago, especially in the 4th quarter.

Additionally, the reason that Lebron never fouls out is because he knows he’s too valuable to the team to get into foul trouble. Watch his games: rarely does he go for the block unless he is absolutely sure he can get it. He never really attempts to take a charge. He also refrains from committing stupid reach in fouls. Yes, he does use his arms a lot on offense, but so do all other players in the league.

Chicago is getting uglier every day, by first resorting to dirty play to make up for their lack of skill and then, complaining about calls when they are beat. I was really moved by Houston when they played the Lakers without two of their best players, but I hope these thugs just make a quit exit so I won’t have to see them any longer than I must.

See subtract the Miami and Chicago fans and ask fans of other teams. Who have no dog in this fight. Heck who hate both teams. Majority of them will tell you, the game isn’t being officiated consistently, and it is favoring Miami big time. Butler is being called for “fouls” that aggressive defenders like James commit all the time. Miami is getting and one’s, and Chicago is getting hit rather obviously on their shots with nothing but a tough shot to show for it. I mean this is the thing with the refs and the rather weak attempt to show it is fair and right. When you are shown an example of a fifty/fifty call they say that can be a foul or a no call. Depending on how you look at things. Well of course. It’s the NBA. You could call a foul on literally every play. Somewhere someone is touching or pushing someone. However, you need to see if every player on Miami is being held to the same standards as every player on Chicago. Because when you look at the foul total and free throw total it may look even, but when the fouls are being called on people like Chris Anderson and Mario Chalmers and obvious fouls aren’t called on James and such. Meanwhile fifty/fifty calls are getting effective Chicago players into foul trouble. Again, subtract the Miami and Chicago fans. Most people with a conscience and knowledge of the game, and aren’t working for the peoples republic of the nba, will tell you, refs are just straight up cheating for Miami. Just like last year.

If you perceive James as an aggressive defender, you either haven’t watched a lot of Miami games or don’t know anything about basketball. Most of the time he just gets out of the way because he doesn’t want to pick up stupid fouls.

HEAT FAN HERE – i liked the officiating of game 3, there were glaring missed calls on both sides of the ball but Miami was up for the challenge. They didn’t stand there with outstretched arms looking at the officials, they kept playing. jeff van gundy all but said the bulls foul you on every play. chicago knows the refs won’t call every foul so they have gotten away with that play all throughout the season. (granted i have seen a lot of pushing in the back and grabbing jersey’s from miami that i hadn’t seen b4) Game 3’s officiating staff set the tone early and they were consistent. no can deny the bulls are a very tuff team and i applaud the bulls on their fantastic season w/o their number one player. i honestly think thibodeau should have won coach of the year because of what he’s done with the bulls. the refs will be very busy for the remaining games in this series, but miami proved they are up for a fight and that they will prevail. the bulls stopped miami’s winning streak but they won’t stop the heat from winning another championship!! GO HEAT!!

all you heat fans are hilarious. Your stars get the calls and the non stars don’t that’s the NBA. Don’t worry we use to defend Jordan back in the day as well, but we all new he was getting the calls. Just enjoy the ride will it lasts, your more talented and your getting the calls, both apply here.

The NBA is a joke. I get that Chicago plays tough and commits some hard fouls and that Miami is pushing back, but if they are pushing back shouldn’t they have an equal number of fouls called on them? The NBA is rigged for the Heat to win, I was at the game last night and some of the calls Miami were getting were ridiculous. The game was tied going into the fourth until it turned into a foul fest where the refs basically called ticky-tack fouls on every play. If the Heat are so much better, then let the players decide the game on the floor down the stretch, not the referees.

remember that one when noah was impersonating bosh just as he was comunicating with norris cole i think…just as a wnba player…noah a whining kid like them other bulls…oh and he tries to protect robinson as if he were a 3 year old…if he can’t match the phisicality then why play in the nba and at such a level…oh i forgot he is so on fire…just like alicia keys:)))).

Beyond double standard.
Games 2 & 3 to the guys with the striped shirts. It’s there’s for the giving – as it was last year.
Crawford is the worst and most vindictive ref ever. If the heat are so great, why do they need so much help?
Unwatchable – the refs ruin it again. Why bother? just let Crawford give the heat the trophy now and get it over with.

Of course I’m a Heat fan, but just let me say that the Bulls, came out just like Bulls! Out to fight, play dirty, and push People around. Now it is what it is. The Bulls are Bullies. End of story. The little player of the Bulls, is too much in to himself, but is a good Ball player, and ball handler as well. Noah’s attitude STINKS! 😦

seriously this writer sounds like an idiot, so the heat players are breaking the laws of physics are they? smh, Chicago getting a dose of their own medicine and then complain. and all this nonsense abt the refs helping the #heat is just rubbish, this just sounds like the whiners who complain abt Man Utd and refs when its just jealousy of the that Man Utd is more successful than their team. Miami Heat the Man utd of Basketball forever hated for being the best.

I would like to start by saying that the Bulls players started this way back on February 27, 2013 in your arena when you ended the Miami Heat 27 game winning streak. LeBron was ridiculed and mocked by many when he and I must remind everyone stated that a lot of the “HARD” fouls on him weren’t basketball plays…….even though Gibson, Tibbs, etc claims they were. He didn’t whine and cry he simply stated that he felt they weren’t regular fouls…….and guess what the Bulls got away with it. Heck even Danny who has nothing to do with either franchise felt LeBron should just hush and play( which I found to be extremely comical when his focus should have definitely been on his struggling Celtics). Now we fast forward to the playoffs, and deep down as a long time Heat fan I was secretly pulling for the Nets to beat the Bulls……not because I didn’t believe my Heat could win. It was because I know the Bulls are desperate, undermanned, and sometimes bullies……for those reasons I didn’t want any of our players to get hurt when it comes to their antics and rough house style of play. I know what my team is capable of when it comes to wanna be bullies……just ask the Pacers what happened last year during playoffs. I know the Heat are on a mission and I feel that having to go outside of their comfort zone and rough house back with the Bulls could get dangerous and cause 1 of our valuable players to get hurt. The Bulls started this war and now that it didn’t go the way they planned they want to cry and moan……in the words of Shaq “Stop it”. I would also like to say to anyone that claims LeBron gets all the calls his way……we must be watching the NBA in 2 different Worlds……because in this world that man is constantly hit, grabbed, bumped, etc and rarely and I do mean rarely gets the calls. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard it’s because of his size and athleticism that he should be able to take it, and other players get away with it. I grew up watching basketball and I really miss the old way of playing, but that style is over just like disco. Bulls fans stop saying the refs cost you the last 2 games because we all know that isn’t true……your players cost you both games. Think back a few ECF ago when you had Rose and the bench mob and the Heat still won……..do you really think Miami isn’t capable of beating an undermanned team without their superstar. Just saying. I apologize for such a long post, but after reading so many BS comments I had to vent.

Bulls don’t play dirty, they play physical. There were no fouls by Bulls players that were intended to hurt anyone. Please stop crying about Da Bulls being dirty. Wanna see dirty? Check out the Bad Boys of Detroit from back in the day. They tried to hurt you for real. On the other hand, LeBron should win an award for best flops of the year. 270lbs of pure muscle and athleticsm just thrown around like a rag doll…….

ILL Tell you what happened the BULLS want to act like tough guys and talk trash and when the HEAT decide that enough is enough and they start playing physical and decide to not letting the bulls push them around and making unecessary fouls EX (mohammed wrapping lebron to supposly “Stop The Fast Break”. really 3 on 3 thats a fast break? seriously! ) and lebron decides to push him of.. BULLS quit complaining now supposly the HEAT are flopping REALLY?REALLY?

Naoh ???
really has some MENTAL issues. He does not even ” I guess” realize that the world is watching his wild child like hitting others, running up to the other team and clapping his hands. His coach and team has to be ASHAMED of his actions. NBA needs to look at this tape from last night between the Bull and the Heat in Chicago. This is very bad for the image of the NBA! NO matter if NOAH was the MVP (and he is NOT), he does not need to be allowed to get by with this type of actions. Bad image for the NBA!

Mr Reinsford, I think you should change your coach. Of course, Chicago players are responsible. But Thibodeau is putting them under pressure, instead to be focused on the basketball. Not a good coach, he’s only whining and, in this way, ruining his players. I’m not a basketball expert. But you don’t need to be a sport expert to see a team under the wrong pressure.

This article is one of the funniest articles I’ve read here in NBA.com. C’mon I thought NBA US writers are a lot better than this. This article is ridiculously biased against Miami, and the writer is obviously a Chicago fan. Like this line “James went reeling, lost his balance or folded in a little theatrics exaggerating the impact enough that Mohammed was a sure goner from the game. Easy ejection.” really? exaggerating? Have u really been watching mr. NBA writer ? Does Nazr’s body look like Nate’s to you or Belinelli’s? Maybe you can meet with your friends on the Bulls team and let them try Nazr’s push on them, see if they don’t topple down too. Haha Just ridic.

When you’re being cheated it’s really hard not to show your feelings. The physicality we can take it. What we can’t take is the refs. LBJ body blows people continuously, but if Boozer or Taj do half that they get an offensive foul. LBJ creates space by pushing people away with the side of his body.

The way the refs are calling for the heat is utterly disappointing. Especially when a team is already down they are calling more against them (the Bulls) when the calls should be going for the Bulls. Ridiculous.

noa is crazy!!! he show his unsportmanship.. he tried to provoke fight w/ Anderson??? crazy stupid tactic in Obvious Camera. U U don’t deserve to play in the NBA, Go back to Ur country and slaughter ur Pet… U will never succed with that intension..

the officials always side with lebron and miami. its something every team in the nba has now accepted.im not saying the bulls would have won but it definitely would have been a lot closer if the officials did their jobs right.

Honest guy- no one is whining about Noah pushing freakshow Birdman….he got a tech which he deserved. Lebron ‘fell’ to the ground after being shoved….he did flop a little…watch the replay, he looked back to find a soft spot to fall instead of taking a step back to catch his balance which any normal person would to when getting shoved. Either way, Mohammad was a fool for doing it. Also Battier’s last foul should’ve been a charge?! Are you joking? You can’t get up off the ground and jump into someone….just because your arms are straight up doesn’t make it a foul on the other guy. You are correct though,,,,clear path should’ve been called on Nate. Worst call of the night from my memory – Noah’s over the back (ridiculously horrible)…the timing of it was huge in regards to momentum at that point of the game.

so very obvious how Bulls is playing, the most dirty defense I saw since, 90s, worst than Piston if im not mistaken,.. Obvious they are only trying to win by all means, But shameful, world is watching, how dirty Ur playing, offcourse opponent will react of that kind, some fans are trying also to cover up Bulls un sportsmanship game??? Just think about who are the players??? super star deserve to win or deserve favor from ref, coz they have proven talented that why they are called super star, Nate, Noa, butler, nazir M not even shine even for 1 season??? and some people telling the calls are favoring Miami??? wowww!! STUPID those fans like that.. BETTER WATCH THE WHOLE GAME!!!!!!! AND YOU WILL SEE HOW DIRTY BULLS PALYING, LIKE WILD BULLS ON THE ROAD READY TO DIE FOR NOTHING. SHAME!!!!!!

Bulls need to shut it. They wanted this chippy and physical play. They’re good players, but they brought the physicality from the start, way before the play offs, that’s their entity, their pride which is fine. This is play off basketball and it is meant to be physical. But bulls and especially bulls FANS, can’t complain about it because they themselves are very physical team where grind and effort is always there but if other team decides to play like it, doesn’t give them the licence to trash talk and complain. Miami aren’t like that to other teams, they know the bulls game plan and they don’t plan on letting the bulls get the best of them. I hope the bulls get their players back so this series will be a real conversation with no excuses.

Sure…grabbing the guy with the ball from behind with both of your arms isn’t basketball. It is called wrestling. Either Nazr is in the wrong sport or you don’t have a clue about what you are talking about.

Basketball rules allow you to be physical legally. Stand in the way when Lebron is going for the dunk and take a charge.

The Michael Jordan ERA Bulls would have mopped the floor with this Heat team. They are a joke. I can only go by facts and the facts are that last year the organization left instructions on every seat before one game teaching fans when and when not to cheer. That right there tells me that you people don’t know diddly about basketball. The Bulls are not trying to play physical to win. That isn’t they’re “game plan”. You have to understand, Lebron leads almost every drive with his elbows and we just are not going to let him do that. He throws them elbows around and pushes and we retaliate. Simple as that.

I dont see any difference between what Nazr did and what dirty player Birdman did to Bellinelli in game 2 except they ejected Nazr. Furthermore, the Heta strategy in game two was to play dirty. Not play physical, which is legitimate way of playing, the Heat play dirty. Big difference.

Really, Im starting to get sick of the NBA favoritism for Miami. Taj Gibson was fouled all game long and never got a call. But you call a rebounding foul on Noah in the waning minutes of a close game? The refs basically gave the game to Miami.

bulls now is not the same team mj pippen i admire before. you think you can win championships with that tactics?? just watch old bull games and you will ashame of what youve doing right now… ask drose about that.. lol..

For all those saying that the Heat get all the calls. What about the Open Court Foul by Robinson on LeBron (called a regular foul, they didn’t even see the replay), and the ejection of Battier for what should have been a clear charge call?

Get real. The Bulls and especially Noah look for that chippy play. Birdman fell on Robinson, he’s getting off and is pushed by Noah, then they whine about the calls. And Thibs says LeBron flopped, well, maybe he should tell his guys not to blatantly push a Heat player in front of the officials, his fault even if LeBron acted a bit.

Every NBA fan in the world knows that the refs bias their calls by a number of circumstances. Stardom, home court, years in the league, teams the league would like to see succeed. We all know this. But for the players and coaches, it is a un-mentionable topic. Do so and the wrath of Khan, (AKA Commish Stern), will surely come down on you. Miami, and Lebron, are too talented to need additional help from the league to win games. But that’s exactly what they get night in and night out. Missed and biased calls against and undermanned and under-talented team surely affects that teams ability to perform. When bogus foul calls are made, guys have to be benched! That affects the game’s outcome. THAT IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE! But we go along and accept Sterns tyranny because we love the game and it’s players. I just wish that the politics of the game could be left off the court, and we could return to the pure game that many of us fell in love with years ago.

If memory serves correct, during the 2011 ECF series that Heat fans keep referencing, the Heat did play ‘piñata’ with Rose. That is when this rivalry really started. Plus…LBJ is 6′ 8″ 260 pounds…Rose is barely 6′ 2″ 190. How else can you foul LBJ without it looking hard? If it’s not hard, it’s a 3 pt play every time….dude is too big. Playing hard and playing dirty are two entirely different things. This series has gotten dirty, but it’s not all on the Bulls. Funny how not one Heat fan is referencing the Chalmers grab around Noah’s neck as he tried to get through a pick……I suppose that wasn’t dirty bc the Bulls asked for it….just reaping what they sow.

BTW is wade gonna get a fine for that flop after nate blocked lbj…….they called a technical on it…Wheres the fine? Clearly a double standard when you harp on how there will be fines for flopping and when wade does it there is no fine????

Everyone saying Lebron flopped after being pushed by Mohammed, are you serious? I know the guy is 6’8 260 but what do you expect when a big guy pushes you u just gonna stay standing? Mohammed couldn’t handle the fact James threw him with one hand like a rag doll and was made to feel insignificant. What about Bellini with the three flops inside 5 seconds?
That will surely be on Shaqtin a fool! Bulls know as long as Lebron remains on the floor they don’t have a shot at this series, even with Deng and Rose back I’m sorry it would extend but not change the series. Lebron would shut down D-Rose, or Deng, or anyone else for that matter. He had an awful shooting night and ended with 25 8 7, lets get real he has yet to really stamp his authority on this series. Bulls tactics will backfire big time in game 4, this series will be finished in south beach game 5 FACT.

There is clean physical basketball and there is UFC basketball. You wanna watch real physical basketball, watch Indiana play but what the bulls are doing is plain dirty. Calls go see-saw, deal with it but when you play that brand of “basketball”, you know a lot of calls are gonna go the other way, deal with it. I get that Bulls fans are pissed (I actually don’t), but imagine if Derrick Rose was in and Miami played pinata on him. Chicago is undermanned and is playing the Heat the only way it can, and that is understandable but it must also be ready to accept the result of playing like that

It doesn’t take more than 5 minutes to see how large of an impact the refs have had (almost none):

The Miami heat have taken 84 free throws across the 3 games, while the Bulls have attempted 75.

That’s 3 more free throws per game for Miami. Hard to see that the refs are “against” the Bulls in this series based on that data. Can’t believe the Bulls are even bringing up officiating…if you don’t rebound, you don’t win (the winner on the boards has won every game).

So many ridiculous biased comments above from both sides. I’m a Bulls fan and here’s what it boils down to for me. Bulls are physically hurting and mentally exhausted. Heat are more talented and healthy.. You can’t blame the refs for everything, BUT, this series is being called more one sided. LBJ (who I am a fan of FYI) had zero personal fouls in 43 minutes last night. That is not possible for a guy his size who plays as aggressively as he does on offense and defense. Two final points – Heat fans would love tto have Noah on their team as Bulls fans would love to have LBJ, stop bashing the two guys with the most heart on the court. Lastly, Heat fans….stop referencing 2011 ECF…this is 2013 and if the Bulls are healthy, this series easily goes 7 games and is a toss up. Unfortunately for all fans alike, the Bulls are not healthy so we have to settle for the series we have now. Good day.

I only watch playoff basketball and I do think the Bulls tried to play physical in game 2 and lost it when tempers flared as often happens. They had to know that Joey Crawford was not going to allow game 3 to get out of control. I don’t think Labron should have gotten a technical for throwing Mohammed off him but retaliation warranted ejection. I am upset by the lack of context illustrated in most comments. Maybe most fans(of either team) are just a lot younger than me.
The Bulls being portrayed as a “dirty” team. Did they never see Bulls vs Knicks, Jordan era, Knicks vs Magic, Ewing era?
Pistons vs Bulls when Jordan and coach Phil Jackson cried all season that Dennis Rodman should be banned from the game
only to trade for him the following year and subsequently applaud his defensive and rebounding skills.

Finally, as a life long Knicks fans, the Bulls can never in a million years complain about another team or player getting the calls. Jordan never committed a foul or missed a shot if he wasn’t fouled once the playoffs started. It was understood that people didn’t turn on their TV to see the great MJ riding the pine because of early foul trouble.

Let the Refs do their jobs and the stars shine as they always have – it’s Playoff Basketball.

“I look at some plays that have happened through the series already,” Mohammed said. “Guys jumping on [Nate Robinson’s] face. [A] Guy tackling Marco Belinelli out of bounds. Guy takes out Nate first play of the game. I mean, there have been a lot of plays that didn’t [get] ejections.

LOL this is a joke. if the above were ejection, there noah, gibson, bulter won’t be playing any more.
muh and thibodeau don’t complain when you are trying to play physical and getting out muscle.

The officials have botched all three games in miami’s favor…..there is a reason they brought in jerry crawford ITS OBVIOUS. Thibs is ok with loosing games like this because it just shows the Heat need the officials on their side to win. We did everything right, Cole shot 100% that wont happen again. But the fouls upon fouls that just arent there hurt us.

btw. ” The Heat do seem to aim their falls so they land on opposing players” .. really steve aschburner? First I though it was sarcastic but after reading through the article again, i can’t believe how biased you are. pathetic, articles like this should be posted solely on the bulls page.

The Bulls incl. Thibodeau need to grow up… They put the pressure on the refs to call the fouls all the time, it’s not like the rules changed or anything. And they’re not gonna change if you do it over and over and over again… If you want to play physical, stop easy layups etc. you gonna get called for fouls no matter what.
and they really need to learn to stop reacting after the whistles getting unnecessary techs and ejections. you can’t whine about how shorthanded you are and then hurt your rotation even more.. how stupid!

Bulls are too much of an emotional team, it all comes to being high while playing and ofc it gets so intense that they dont think of things before doing them. Just look at Heat players, none of them, save Birdman and Chalmers, had anything to say to their opponents after some very hard, unsportsmanlike fouls. Bulls have to use their temperament down, or they are going to keep being ejected for being stupid in some situations. I know it is their way of being good on the field but it keeps putting them down. Miami gets this series in in 5 games .

Reading the article and the comments here, I realize one thing. LeBron, Wade or Bosh are just animals so you can treat them as you like. On the other hand the angels from chicago can’t be touched if they are then it should be called. Just because chicago are short handed and they are putting a brave fight they can get away with anything, It looks like people have lost the basic sense of evaluating. a hard foul on nate by bordman is same as hard foul by naz on James. Noha pushed bird and got a Tm so did James on pushing Naz. What happened next everyone knows.

I thought the referring was not good, but it wasn’t favorable to just heat. If Nate got away with a clear path and butler got away with a charge so did some of heat fouls. It is a pity that this article as well as commentators just point out the Heat fouls, it seems if you are the underdogs you are licensed for anything.

I had great respect for the Bulls team for the grit that showed so far tis season, but this series I think they are not focussing on Basket Ball but more on theatrics and wrong side of things. I am starting to hate their game because they are not playing it the right way and they started something and were proud of it and when they got it back they are crying like babies.

I swear, the MIAMI HEAT uses their wealth in advantage to get the refs on their side (especially at home court). When Nazr Mohommad pushed LeBron back, he should’ve gotten a technical, not an ejection. Doesnt it take 2 techs to get an ejection? It shudve been a double tech. The Bulls play physical because thats how they beat the heats winning streak( if you remember what Kirk Hinrich did to LeBron). So Its not the bulls fault, theyre just trying to beat the defending champs.

the biggest reason the bulls are loosing is because their thibs is encouraging all the nonsense they bring to the court!!! spoelstra is so much better. Win or loose, his aim is to make sure the next game is theirs!! He had a lot of reasons to complain but unlike thibs who went crying and justifying all the nonsense, he made sure the heat stayed grounded! I feel its the coach who has to be blamed for joakim gibson nate n mohammed acting all pms!!!

dear bulls, this is not basketball to make dirty plays and and also be proud of them. I dont understand how miami can stand the dirtiness of noah, gibson, mohammed (all of these players must be ashamed of their retarted acts). Respect for that miami. Plus please Thibodeau stop complaining about loosing a 2.6pts, 3.1rbs per game center that barely plays 10 mins even though the rest are injured :s.

Shame on your all faces…. All Bulls’ fans are fighting for nothing… learn to accept me,,, LOL… Injuries…..Health problems? … u dont know basketball even…
when Drose is healthy …. MVP….. and the cast were healthy…. Heat beat them in 5 games… aren”t they? can you still remember.?..
Even u get all the great players in all teams in the NBA to face heat for an exhibition game…. for sure Heat will win… This is their time…. let it be.. IMAO
Fans of bulls…. Find your time after Wade’s era done…

Chicago Bulls players and coach are ruining the good name of this team that was built during the past.
They don’t play basketball.
Every one knows Miami Heat is a better team than Chicago Bulls. Just go and play a real basketball game regardless of losing or winning. Play like a man.

guys, welcome to the play offs. you see them in their best and worst in every single game. its just win or go home. it doesn’t matter if you play clean or dirty defense as long as you win. you do what it takes to win.

Chicago Bulls is asking for physicality in the games. They are having it. They are just whining right now. They cant handle Miami in a clean game. They are just dirty, crying baby players. Complaining about refs? Cmon, they got lots of calls on their favor… What about the clear path on james? What about the blocking foul on Battier? Mohammed just complaining about haslem foul on nate, he truly believes it was worth an ejection? Kidding me. They cant win, so they blame the refs about the loss. They are just being too dirty… every time doing what it needs to stop lebron (do they love him, embracing him all the time?). What about holding Norris’ jersey? Thats stupid. They need to stop whining.

BLAH BLAH BLAH… bulls are playing dirty nothing new here, they’ve always played miami dirty and miami still wins so nothing new here either. as a heat fan i’m a chicago bulls hater, but i have to give them props for how far they have gone this year they are really playing their hearts out.

If physicality is touted as the strong point of the Bulls game, and the Bulls actually buy into it, then the BULLS need to have the composure to deal with highly physical games. If they can be tough AND have the necessary composure, then they can be champions. In this series, Chicago has initiated the physical play. Miami responds with more physical play and composure. Chicago then responds with childish outbursts.

” The Heat do seem to aim their falls so they land on opposing players”

Really? Thats just pathetic and unprofessional, no surprise that it came from the most biased writer this site has to offer.

Bulls arent playing with heart, they are playing with frustration. They dont play smart, they play ugly. The only team that get in Heat’s nerves are the Celtics. They play with heart and intensity, even if its october. Also because Doc is a much better coach than Thibs. Celtics and Heat hate, but also respect each others. Heat despise the Bulls. There isnt even one bulls player that acknowledged anything from MIA. They think they have the perfect plan for beating the Heat, but they are not capable of doing it.

I agree, Bulls brought it first, and Miami answered back. LeBron was sick of the “Non Basketball Plays” he plays clean ball and Bulls don’t. Thib whines, Spo don’t….. and never has!!! Hey Thibs, there were a lot of calls/no-calls that went your way…. your post game interview was a disgrace, what a CRYBABY!!! Gone are the honorable days of Phil Jackson coaching, stop trying to teach em to be the bull-y’s of the NBA, cause the new trend is ….. JUST SAY NO TO BULLYS!!!!!

Most of you are reacting to this style of play as if its a new thing and that its not real basketball… Even Lebron is complaining about it not being real basketball. By the way, what kind of self respect are you showing LeBron when you push back and then go for a dive. You are given credit for being freakishly strong but you have to let the refs finish it for you? Sure don’t give yourself ejected but at least stand up and take it like a man and stop hiding behind the refs. Got news for all of you… its real basketball and its been a style of play for years of successful playoff teams. You just have to man up and the refs have to do a better job of not ejecting everyone. You didn’t watch how the Celtics teams played in the 80’s? Pistons in the late 80’s early 90’s? Then the Celtics again recently? That’s how the Celtics beat the lakers in 08. The lakers couldn’t match the physicality that the Celtics brought. The only difference in this series is that Miami has more talent than Chicago compared to the two very talented teams in LA and Boston in 08. Chicago has to stick with the style of play that works for them and keep playing physical because that keeps guys out of the paint and slows the game down. You may say its backfired on them but you have to give them credit… undermanned and going back to the season series few teams have played Miami better than Chicago.

Heat – Bulls’ series is getting more physical, lot of TechFouls. I’m sorry bulls, but your dirty plays wont work for the Miami Heat. Just accept that Miami Heat is noticeably has more talented players and regardless of your situation that you are outnumbered and your superstars are out, the Heat will win this series.

Bulls are playing out right dirty and they intent is to hurt lebron and company! Mohammad needs a 5 game suspension( first he hit lebron on arms and than a shove after a flop of fall! And he looked like an idiot). Noah is acting like a nut case. going after birdman un-necessarily! There were plenty of offensive falls by chicago that went uncalled!
Gibson another culprit who nearly bought down noel by pulling his jersey!

The biggest culprit here is the coach who believes in this kind of play in the name of physical basketball is bringing disrepute to the game!
And as though what they have not done enough, he is claiming that calls did not go his way and nazi did not need an ejection! looked like a sore loser to me!

The NBA needs to take stern action regarding the foul, dirty play of chicago bulls! They cant beat heat by the skills and they are trying these dirty tactics! When they got as they good as they get in second game they are complaining about the calls!

This is pathetic. The heat should come next game firing and shut the door on this dirty team ( and shockingly no body seem to care as they are besmirching the legacy of the great old chicago team, in trying to hate the heat!)
pathetic!!!

It’s the playoffs – it’s bound to get chippy. What I don’t understand is that there is so much finger pointing on not getting calls. I can imagine how frustrating it can be for a team who is truly competing even though they aren’t at full strength, and not getting some calls. But — if THAT team is the one instigating the physical play? No warrant granted to whine.

And on a final note — I went over Birdman’s foul on Nate, and when he supposedly landed on Nate on purpose. It’s a big oile of hooey. It wasn’t intentional AT ALL. I hope we can just get to playing high intensity basketball and WIN on the court.

I understand some of the fouls and techs. But Lebron flopped while being pushed by Nazr Mohammed. Go look at the clip.I think he should have been given a tech like Lebron. Lebron bodies people in the paint all the time and complains when he doesn’t get foul calls. Lebron flops alot for him to be so strong as people say.

Still, all those Chicago role players impress me, they are doing their best and playing as hard as they can against the Heat, but of course its obvious that the Heat have way more talent, they are gunna win the series 4-1, any win by this crippled role player chicago roster is gunna be a huge suprise but the Heat are wining the series for sure.

Patty, i’m going to say that you’re seriously annoying. they do favor LeBron, but they also favor every superstar, like kobe, Durant, griffin, Duncan (seriously, he stays in the paint forever! but no calls) CP3, all of them. CP3 is always grabbing people for the ball, Durant averages about 10 free throws a game, 4 more than LeBron, griffin does a lot of offensive fouls on dunks and rebound dunks, and do we even need to talk about Kobe?

Ridiculous and disappointing how a professional like Aschburner is clearly managing to change reality into something different, by saying James was “theatrically exaggerating the impact”.
Please keep professional and face the truth: Mohammed reaction was exaggerated, unnecessary and hard enough to take James (who was not expecting to be hit, while he was arguing with the ref) down.
Ejection absolutely deserved (and easily well in advance announced by the TV commentators themselves).
Now let’s stop the useless discussion and move over to the next game.

In all my years of watching the NBA this is the time when it is so obvious and telling about the business of professional basketball. Yes, the NBA is a business. There are the owners and their employees namely the Commish… Don’t get me wrong, the NBA would not be where it is these days without him but the “what’s good for business” mentality has gone over the top and has changed the game. Years past they did not have to sell down our throats a Magic, a Bird, a Jordan…. Or, a Celtics vs Lakers game did not have to be it’s life choked out of it because the stars had to be protected for the next year or who the business would like to see win the championship for the sale of it’s products… Let alone now days stars choose to not play with a hang nail in the playoffs!!! I can not help to think that the boys with the whistle are not free to call the game on their own and there are several pre game prejudices are built on based on previous games or who is playing. Having said all this. The league can still have their stars playing the next game but it needs to enforce the anti-flopping rule. It seems now days that if you stand still and take the hit you are punished… James, Battier and Bosh should be $5000 poorer today for their flops last night, but it won’t happen. Shane Battier particularly needs to be watched by the NBA because he does all the dirty little things you have mentioned in your report. Flopping like he was shot, falling down without reason and taking down with him the opposing player on a break and laying on him for longer than it’s needed. The NBA needs the stars to stay in the game therefore any demonstrative reaction by say James or Wade to a foul call is handled differently than little Nate, Noah or Gibson. Bottom line, we still watch this because we love the game…

YOU are clearly a Bull’s fan, who wants to blame the victim of a Bulls foul rather then call it what it was, a dirty foul! It was NO flop, only sad little Thib’s and his rowdy little fans would say that.

Chicago has no choice. They need a miracle. Some sort of mental breakdown by Lebron and Co. Its evident that by the 4th qrt the defense is fading and fast. The depth of the Miami bench is impressive. I enjoy watching Ray allen, Cole, Chalmers and BirdMan. They bring so many weapons and the bulls so few. Would of been a sick series if bulls were healthy. Maybe next year but for now Miami should put this away in next 2 games. My hat off to the big man Robinson.

I am a huge game fan, to me playoffs is the best time of the year. The problem in this series is that I am watching something that I would call an extreme version of someone’s interpretation, which comes from Bulls organization. I get the tough plays, but this is not the true basketball. Hit people, unnecessary roughness, tearing jerseys – who do they think they are? Tough guys? Funny to watch how this UFC-type approach to the game has its fans. There is no beauty in it for a single simple reason…

… I dont want to see people injured this season anymore! Kobe is out, Westbrook is out, Indiana, Knicks, even Bulls have their top players out… Give us the basketball that we can enjoy and not to pray for best players in the league no to get injured. Is this really a price of winning it all?

I cant wait for this series to be over. If Bulls advance – NBA will lose a lot. Not because Miami has LeBron and all that hype about them, but because it will show that it is OK to get secondary players ejected when all they care about is to get noticed. So they will do whatever asked of them and more – shove, push, hit that could easily get players injured. Then you hear from Stern and those guys how they are looking to make NAB better, how it is sad that top NAB players are out of the playoffs…

To Bulls – go look in the mirror. You cry about fouls that you commited youself just few minutes ago. Get real. You wanted a fight, you are getting a fight. If you are afraid of it – go home and stop blaming Miami for stepping up for a challenge.

chicago really though they can shove their way to a championship? or event to beat the heat by shoving and complaining? can’t wait for next round to see an actual entertaining game not this wanna be bullies nonsense. and where is that little girl rose who was cleared to play since february? he keeps trolling every game since then? he has to be the most annoying attention seeker, I mean come on why not say that he really isn’t planning to play at all this year. shorthanded because they have unreliable players.

THAT WAS DEFINITELY NOT A FLOP!!!
The man was talking to the ref and he Nazr just shoved him. Try it w/ someone and see if you dont fall. When you are not expecting it you obviously would fall.

Chicago Bulls hate the Heat so much it is causing them to lose games. Yes, they are playing hard. Yes, they are playing the Heat right but when a wrong call is made or they get a T, they get too emotional and end up playing with their emotions. Celtics played the Heat like this before. Difference between them, Celtics played w/ their head more and controlled their emotions more.

C’mon the super strong lebron james… the same one they say is like a football player will not fly that far from a “push” He gave himself a little boost with his LEFT leg watch the clip in slow mo. Watch the greatness of “Lebron King Flopping James “

there is an expression in my country
“ko se macha lati, od macha ce i da pogine”
meaning something like
“He who pulls out his sword is going to be killed by the sword”
So Bulls, sorry, the strategy isn’t working…

I was starting to respect the bulls this season seeing how hard they were playing, but I cant give them any respect now. I understand that this is playoff basketball which should be psysical, but it doesnt mean you have to play dirty to win. Always been a heat fan but i thought it was great to see the whole team keep there composure.

Lame article trying to support chicago’s whinnings about the refs, Miami, has proven throughout the year that they are the better team and that they play clean basketball, Mohammed wasn’t reacting to James’ push, James was reacting to Mohammed’s unnecessary mid-cout tackle, and totally deserved the ejection.

Both comments came from mindless readers… who says bulls are complaining. READ the article again!
” No grousing, no feeling sorry for themselves, no covetous glances or comments about the relative health of their opponents.”
You should have read before you even think of reacting to it.

@MNM101, on miami’s plays. have you seen the playoff game miami vs boston when wade wrestled rondo into dislocating its elbow… and thats a clean play for you…

Give credits to where its due! and bulls and T.Thibodeau did a hell of a job this season with 8-9 healthy players.

“Still, it didn’t stop Mohammed. After the backup center fouled James to prevent a fast break, the Miami star pushed back – harder – sending the bigger man to the floor. Mohammed got up and, without even realizing James had just earned a technical foul for that move, shoved back. James went reeling, lost his balance or folded in a little theatrics exaggerating the impact enough that Mohammed was a sure goner from the game. Easy ejection.”

fast break? 3 defenders ahead and james casually taking the ball across the half-court line is fast break? have you ever seen lebron sprint for a fast break? call it as it is steve..

The Miami Heat shouldn’t even be playing basketball if they don’t want to be pushed around. They are star-studded, but they shouldn’t be complaining if they get hit a couple of times. Basketball is a very physical game and yes, the Bulls are getting very physical with them but it’s not an excuse to say that Chicago is playing dirty against them just because they have LeBron, Wade, and Bosh in there. Can you go check out last year’s finals and let’s see how many dirty plays Miami did against the Thunder, but the Thunder never complained, so why complain Miami? Also, there’s one more thing about LeBron saying that there’s no need for extra-curricular activities in the court, you were the one who pushed Mohammed to the ground and you speak that his push to you wasn’t necessary? Are you kidding me? Do you have to look for star treatment every time? I love to watch basketball at its very finest with the players grinding it out, but to see these stars act and complain like they got murdered or something, it is really depressing. I guess the star treatment has sunk in their heads so deep, they would still look for it even if they were coming out of the bench. Before you complain Miami and ask yourself, will the opposing team treat you like the refs do? No, they will treat you like regular players and play how they do against other teams. In a few years, I wouldn’t be surprised if the NBA gets lower views and ratings because of the complaining and whining from a lot of players. It’s getting really boring and I’m tired of it.

You’re really very petty. The bulls are just trying to intimidate the heat with physical play. Bring up the “old days” all you like, the truth is that the heat/bucks game was fine, whereas the bulls/nets game was physical. Now the bulls/heat games are physical. I wonder what the common denominator is? The bulls are the ones crying, bro. Mohammed, for no reason, came up behind lebron and just grabbed him. That wasn’t even a play on the ball. Lebron wasn’t going for the fast break, he slowed down to set up a play. Mohammed just bear-hugged him, and now you say that his instinct to get Mohammed off of him was cheap? Guys, do me a favor. Explain to me Mohammed’s foul. Where’s the logic there? Cuz to me that looks like if thibs put him in the game JUST to foul lebron and get in his head. If those are the bulls’ tactics, then they don’t even belong in the playoffs. Cuz that’s just dirty.

In the 09-10 season, I read an article by this writer praising Lebron James, talking how he was the next generation player. Now in hindsight, he probably only wrote that in the hope of Lebron choosing CHI in free agency. The bias and allusions that Steve makes in this blog are incredibly annoying. Yes, this is a physical series, but the Bulls are letting their emotions get the better of them, and their coach is not helping his team with his rotations. But to have snarky comments like ”Heat players tend to land on their opponents” in regards to the Anderson/Robinson foul is just petty. And dont forget that Nazr grabbed lebron on the first foul, putting him (in the eyes of the game) in the wrong, and lebron not wanting to be held by his opponent, turned to throw him off. He didn’t ‘shove’ as you write, Lebron rightfully got called for the tech, but Nazr over-reacted and got thrown out. And then to say the bulls are playing 8 players at a given time is disrespectful, and a mark of a sore loser. Did Utah fans accuse the 98 bulls were playing with the aid of the refs? Probably, and again comes the problem with Chicago and emotion. Not only the players, by fans are getting too emotional. Accept your team has problems, and let them deal with it instead of taking the victim route

Miami is not a physical team. Chicago brought the physicality to this series and they’re now crying about it. It’s always funny when someone goes after the bully and the bully goes crying to the principal.

Wow the author here is very pro Bulls… Chicago used the “tuff guy” role with Miami to set the tone of the series… the Heat rather out finesse you than out muscle you, the Bulls threw the first punch in the fight so to speak game 1 and setup a precedent on how the games are to be officiated. You cant expect Butler to get the same treatment or calls LBJ will… when D-Rose was playing at a high level he benefited from calls too… has do all NBA All-Stars… ie, MJ, Kobe and all the greats past and present.

The Bulls are putting up a valiant effort with what they have to work with and that must be noted and respected but you brought knives to a gun fight and now you are complaining and starting to hold the refs and the Heat accountable for your overall misfortunes… I understand the frustration but dont let it smear your article.

Although the physicality Bulls offered on the table intrigued me, as a fan I commend them for bringing a really competitive match-up against the almighty defending champs. Only I didn’t expect the Bulls to whine now on not getting calls in their favor whatsoever. Putting myself in a neutral position, I think it’s the intense pressure Bulls players are getting into their nerves. Coach Thibo was right on one thing: “When you play this team, you have to have a lot of mental, physical and emotional toughness.” I can’t agree more. The three ejections his players had over the series so far proves how far the “leftover” roster are far from emotional superiority. Seeing the other side, I commend the Heat for their “bring-it” approach. I don’t see any Heat looking at active player count as the major advantage. It’s how they contain their emotions and focus intact that makes me admire them more. The 2-1 series score at the moment, for me, is more of a psychological rather than a physical.

Well Steve, you’re obviously oblivious and a biased Bulls fan. The Bulls have been playing like it’s street ball since the 27th and that is because they don’t have the finesse and the talent to play 48 minutes of clean, skillful basketball. As a team, they are a horrible example for children; they aren’t entertaining to watch; they are a parade of the worst sportsmanship possible; and they have a mien of ugliness and negativity that they feel somehow justified in parading before the world. They are representative of the lowest common denominator in the NBA. How they’ve fallen since the days of Michael Jordan.

I agree 100% with the other two comments: Chicago could not handle Miami’s talent, so they started playing more physical than need be, because they thought the Heat were soft. But after those plays on Lebron where they broke the 27 game streak, Miami was just like “hey, bring it on, if you want to play that way.” Now that Miami is playing that way, and doing it smart too, I must say, since they are not going over the limit so that they get ejected, Chicago is losing its composure, and doing it so obviously that they are getting thrown out of games. Now they complain? Lesson to the Bulls: Don’t start a fight you can’t finish.

And this has nothing to do with rigged games. I’ve heard too many of the stupidest comments about that. If the NBA was rigged, then they wouldn’t have let the Heat’s 27 game winning streak come to an end.

Shorthanded is the key word of every article about Bulls. You can’t make excuse of it, or the organization should change its name to Chicago Shorthandedbulls. They can’t really play phisical game style presented by Miami, so the bodies will be pushed. It’s not the mental, but teamwork skills make the difference, especially ball movement.

The Bulls a dirty team? So just because they play physical, it’s not clean basketball? Last i remember, basketball is a physical sport, and because the Bulls are playing it like how it’s supposed to be played, they’re looked at as a dirty team? Seriously, no explanation for you guys except that you are new fans to not just Miami, but new fans to the NBA. There is nothing dirty the Bulls have done in this series. Chalmers clearly fell out of bounds after being blocked. It’s not at all bully basketball And who said the Bulls are whining or complaining? The refs missed some calls, Lebron sure did complain after the Game 1 loss. Bulls just believe there is no way James was pushed at the half line and was pushed past the free throw line, especially with how big he is and how he’s the strongest in the NBA.

I always thought the Lakers were a dirty team but after watching the Bulls, the Lakers are little girls compared to these Ghetto Rats…..they are the ones who started all the pushing, slapping and whatever else they could think of to do. Miami is not a team who plays like they are trying to win a boxing match, they play to perfect the game, and most of the time they help the opponent up not push him down. They can whine, cry, push , shove etc. but they are not getting by the Heat. They are the best and they are going to stay that way. Go Heat Go !!

Nba must take serious actions to keep the game clean. It is difficult to watch this series with your kids. My 8 years old read Taj Gibson’s lips the other day.
Last night Muhammed pushed James to the ground. The crowd cheers at him as he is going off the court.

Miami plays clean basketball? Everytime anyone touch them they go to the ground like ballet dancers, Lebron is the strongest player going to the basket but, strangly, he is the ligthest going to the floor. Lebron even trying to stay at his feet,

Its ridiculus the flop of Bosh late in the 4th when Noah grab the offensive board, he went to the ground like somebody shot him.

Bulls play hard but they take as much as they give. Miami and qouting are “fake tough guys” they are really good at hitting someone but when they are hit back they flop they are being killed

There also was a heated moment late in the first quarter when Miami’s Chris “Birdman” Anderson fell atop Robinson along the baseline and wasn’t getting off him fast enough to suit Noah. The Heat do seem to aim their falls so they land on opposing players, so Noah rushed over and shoved Andersen, as he was untangling from the Bulls guard. It was a sneak preview of the Mohammed-James altercation.

This is a disgrace… Did not expect this kind of reporting from Aschburner.

Everytime a team responds to the physical style of the Bulls, they start whining – and not only if they play the Heat.

They want to be the more physical team so they start making harder fouls and complain when the refs call too many fouls, Chicago should understand the refs don’t call x fouls per game, but have to call more if you foul more, it’s getting really annoying. Spurs-GSW is the most whine-free series (although Mark Jackson crossed the line vs Denver), by far the most fun to watch.

In the East NYK and the Bulls are just too much complaining and whining, stop it and just play like real players should do.

Ridiculous trying to blame the refs. First of all, Miami had decisions go against them in that game which were completely ignored, Battier had 2 clear charges called as blocks (All 4 FT’s made by CHI) there was also a missed clear path foul which was potentially wort 5 pts. It all adds up, for me Miami had bad calls against them (which weren’t highlighted) and Chicago had bad calls against them. It was 50/50, it was only compounded for the Bulls because they couldn’t go to someone on the bench when someone got in foul trouble. That is not the ref’s or the Heat’s fault. But the main issue I have is that Chicago have tried to play hard and physical, they put in hard fouls and they try to make the game chippy as that’s the only way that they feel they will be able to win, and now they have the cheek to complain about foul calls. The refs may be quick to their whistle, but that’s Chicago’s own fault. The referees are playing the game extremely tight to try and stamp out the fouling. Play properly and the foul calls won’t go against you. Simple

I think the Bulls set the tone and the Heat have followed because they haven’t played any other team this way. Now I can admit that on occasion DWade (in other games) has played a little physical or even dirty *Boston comes to mind* but typically the Heat are not looking to play bully ball. Now these two clubs have always played intensely but this football style of play was started by the Bulls when they ended the Heat’s streak. The Heat wasn’t expecting it and it showed hence the Bulls victory.

Now as I see it the Bulls have a point about the calls because superstars get the benefit of doubt. That’s the business end of the league because folks pay to see Lebron, Durant, Kobe, etc… as long as they are not outrageous they won’t get called. Now on the Bulls end their tempers are screwing them. They are too focus on the hate of the Heat while the Heat may not be fond of the Bullies are able to still channel their aggression to points.

The Bulls players, fans and coach are a bunch of cry baby and whiners! They wanted to play physical with Miami. Grabbing James and fouling hard to snap the win streak. Now Miami is ready to play tough and now these babies are crying lol. This is a David vs Goliath situation, except Goliath(The Heat) knows what David(the Bulls) are capable of so they won’t underestimate the Bulls but just kick their cry babies As**S. Miami in 5, 6 max!

The Bulls and Thibodeau get waaaay too much credit. The start of this article seems to suggest that the Bulls are admirable for not whingeing about Miami’s lack of injuries. Huh? It also suggests that Thibodeau is admirable for trying to empower his roster despite their missing links. Has there ever been a professional coach that would NOT be trying to empower his players? The Bulls are mistakenly thought to have ‘heart’ – what they have are tendencies to overcelebrate making plays and to foul harder than any other team in the league, the second of which is severely to their detriment (ie – Muhammed getting ejected and, incredibly, being cheered out of the stadium!). Also, instead of Noah venting about the way he racked up his 5th foul, he should use that energy to think about just how stupidly he gave away his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fouls (underneath the Bulls offensive ring, reaching in for a cheap slap away steal after the Heat had grabbed the board!). And Thibodeau’s disbelieving reaction to Muhammed getting ejected only does two things – 1) makes his opinion about refereeing in general just that little bit more incredulous, and 2) suggests that he does very little to curb the thuggish behaviour of his players that ultimately affects their win/loss quota.

I agree with you. I liked to see during the season Bulls playing basketball helping themselves with their physical… that was OK … but at this series main strategy of Thibodeau is physical play – I don’t like it at all

Get over yourselves! Physical play was what made the NBA, before they decided to change the rules and make any sort of “contact” a foul and took the whole trash talk away from the game. These made the NBA exciting and worth watching. Now it’s not as fun to watch and players complain just for being “touched”. It has become more like Netball!!!

Tom Thibodeau baby boy, keep crying for LBJ’s flopping, who’s care. Your Bulls players can flop……if you can. You complain favourite calls for Heats in your HOME COURT. Then that is your problem, even HOME COURT refs do not like your players. You start finding excuse for loss now, baby Tom?

You said Heats = losers. Your definition of “losers” is the “Defending Championship Team” and “3 current All-Stars players” and “All-time 3pts made player Ray Allen”. So be it. That is your choice, HATER.

Bulls’ Mohammed tossed for shoving James – i’m ok with the ejection, but mister lebron james you flop like a little fisher, and it’s really pathetic.
for me you are out of the “great of all times” talks because of that. ineducated flopper.
michael i miss you, all those childkings flopboys and cheaters, fashion victims etc. where are the pros

Now they whine? WTF!!!! Chicago started all of it! so they can’t handle physicality, but they are acting like they are tough and rugged? nahhhh they are just bunch of bullies that if someone put a fight on them, they’re just gonna cry. HEAT ALL DAY!!! :)))

Miami’s a talented team, but a bunch of floppers… they complain like little girls when they don’t get the calls they expect more than deserve.
When they get some tough physical defence, they don’t know how to play anymore. Did you guys notice how Lebron was playing at the all star game (where refs don’t give easy calls due to the prestige of a player, because they’re all allstars…) when Kobe put some pressure defence on him? he missed his shots, lost a few balls and looked at the refs asking for the fouls…
If they deserve to win, why can’t they do it without flopping or whinging? they’ve got the talent, but the bulls have got the heart

This writer is very biased chicago fanboy….. dont you know your chicago team started this all physical strategy to beat the heat??? and now whose complaining huh ??? you make me laugh man… you must see carefuly the mohamed incident… does james know he will be pushed by mohammed when he got technicalled by ref ? NO.. any big man like mohammed pushed a player he will be off balanced naturaly….. you say flop ? hahaha ….

Lebron did not shoved that guy intentionally, first thing first he got fouled wherein everyone from the audience to bulls bench questioning that foul, why on earth do you need to make that foul?? then he kept grab on to lebron, lebron just whicked him away HARD, then that guy (dunno who he is a nobody) shoved back with both hands full force. you must be blind to question that call.

I’m sorry, but Heat fansbut your cmmments do not even seem to match the blog’s text above it. Officials are clerarly favouring the Miami Team and its stars in their calls.
I think the Heat should be ashamed since they are the and title defending team this season and playing against a an honoring but “bruised” Bulls which had the lead ’till half the 4th quarter and would have had that game if it were not for the MIScalls from the officials.
CLearly either Mohamed souldn’t have been ejected since he acted like he did as a reaction to james’ push and was unaware LBJ had already been called a tech foul or both of them should be ejected since james’ play was not a “basketball play” either.
James also influenced the officials choice as well as the choice of which calls (favouring Miami) are to be picked during this series by means of his statements to the press.
Honestly there will be no honor to the Miami Heat squad if they win this series, as being “DIRTY” is not an honor neither saying that about someone is a compliment.

the bulls are not playing clean basketball but trying to bully their opponents starting with Brooklyn Nets – because they lack the skills to do it due to injury. its also a blessing in disguise that Benili is playing great in the absence of Deng.

they have to accept that they will never win in the playoff with the present line – up if they play clean.

Coach Tom, tell your players to start playing real basketball and not playing dirty and complain. if how your’re playing right now is your best basketball, then you don’t have to play on the NBA but somewhere else. kindly rectify

The Bulls asked for it and now their getting it. That type of play doesn’t belong in this century anymore. They just can’t win without their theatricals. And Lebron flopping? Thibodeau should be looking at his own players like Belineli and Noah. And Noah is so dirty. he won’t get those much rebounds unless he pushes people around which unfortunately the refs don’t see much.

Chicago can’t beat the Heat playing clean basketball so they started this dirty game. And now all they do is cry about the refs. I’m not a Miami fan but the Bulls don’t deserve to win, specially this way. And Thibodeau should stop this “I know what is happening” thing, it is ridiculous.

Disclaimer: I’m going for Miami in the playoffs…BUT Chicago have a right to be upset w/ the officiating in this series. That foul call on Noah late in the game was terrible. I think he did a great job handling that obvious wrong call which really hurt the Bulls. However, Mohammed retaliated on a dead ball. C’mon, what did he think was gonna happen, esp with the way the refs had set the tone in Game 2. Also, the media seem to think LBJ flopped on that push. I think he fell b/c he got caught off-guard. He was still reeling in shock from being tee’d up by the ref, then next thing BAM he’s getting shoved.
My 0.02c

Sad when a coach really goes to blame it on the ref… especially considering if it wasn’t for those same refs the Bulls wouldn’t have made it past the Nets. Mohammad shoved James out of play with both hands, that’s an automatic ejection and if you dont know that you really need to learn the rules of basketball. Mohammad did that to himself and he has NOBODY to blame but himself and his own immaturity. Noah’s T-Foul was also for the same reason, his own immaturity in shoving the thug Birdman… I hate both teams, so I can say better then most that the Bulls started the physical play and now that the Heat are playing just as physical back the Bulls are suddenly realizing they can’t afford to go toe-to-toe with the Heat like that cause they just dont have enough bodies.

Were there missed calls? Yes. Were there bad calls? Yes… were there missed and bad calls against the Heat as well? Hell yes… Thibodeau needs to man-up, stop blaming the refs, and tell his Players to play clean, smart basketball or this series will be over in 5.

people said that about the bulls when MJ left, but they only dropped two games the next season, replacing him with a CBA player. the first time he left, that is. in his prime and they only dropped 2 more games.

Chris Andersen only landed on Nate Robinson while attempting a BLOCK. You CHICAGO FANS needs to watch the video. They both got out of balanced. Chris never tried to constrain Robinson with any movement. Noah however is just a hothead trying to make some drama by shoving Andersen while he was down.

I understand the foul made by mohammed or whoever that guy is to lebron. They both got tangled and it resulted to james being annoyed with the foul and pushed back. He deserves a technical for that BUT… I said BUT Heat fans,,, what happened next IS NEVER AN ATHLETES WAY TO PROVE A POINT. Mohammed I hope you get suspended for that.

As for Thibodeau, you blind bro? Have you looked at the intensity of the shove Mohammed made to lebron? The guy is 250 pounds of pure muscle I think a big amount of force is needed to knock him over. Just sit down and you really need to SH** UP

It is clear that the NBA still has the same agenda since the Sacramento Screw Job in 02. For once it would be nice to let the players decide who wins instead of the corporate criminals that are ruining pro sports.

The article said: Only he didn’t. Asked specifically about the refs’ decision to eject Mohammed, the Bulls coach said: “I didn’t think it warranted an ejection. I understand a flagrant foul. I understand that. But an ejection? No. No. Nope.”

I say: I see what the Bulls problem is: their coach. That shove didn’t deserve an ejection? What would, then? Another Pacer/Pistons debacle?

The writer Steve said: There also was a heated moment late in the first quarter when Miami’s Chris “Birdman” Anderson fell atop Robinson along the baseline and wasn’t getting off him fast enough to suit Noah. The Heat do seem to aim their falls so they land on opposing players, so Noah rushed over and shoved Andersen, as he was untangling from the Bulls guard. It was a sneak preview of the Mohammed-James altercation.

I say: Your editorializing does the article an injustice. The Heat times their falls so they can land on players? While in the air, falling, they have that much control over their bodies trajectory? Really? Horrible writing. Doesn’t need to be in there. Birdman wasn’t even on Robinson when Noah, Mr Anger Management issues, intervened, hoping for a fight.

I do think this article is biased and that is MY opinion and I am entitled to that just like the author of this article. And I do agree with the first 2 comments.
I am a fan of Miami Heat but I also respect Chicago Bulls. However, with how they are handling the playoffs against the Heat and the stories created such that they are being “cheated”, well that seems to be a desperate strategy in a wrong way.
If they think they are being “cheated” and that it’s a “5vs8 with the 3 w/ whistles” then why not file a formal complaint than nagging for sympathy.

what a biased article you chicago lover steve. we watched the same game, right ? Nazr pushing lebron brutally and lebron “FLOPS” ? yeah right.. Thibodeau is just naggin. i hate these kind of people who focus on everything but the game for winning.

Seriously? The Bulls are playing to Miami’s weaknesses. For what Miami has, I’m surprised they’re not playing more physically. The bulls are undermanned, and are bringing out the physicality, and Miami should be able to respond in kind. Instead of whining and crying about getting shoved, the heat should respond in kind instead of being pussies. The NBA has become a joke now. This incident would barely have been called a flagrant 20 years ago.

Regarding your statement, especially the part “But I’m also disappointed it warranted an ejection for something like a push when I got pushed down first.”, let me say that in basketball you DON’T push back, this is not a kick box sport. You play ball.

Well, you show only one way remorse which is selfish, and you don’t show understanding for the sport. After all, you initiated quite absurd foul in the first place.
I believe that along with your court behavior, your statement will also not be a proud lesson for your son.

BTW, Noah should have been ejected as well for pushing Anderson. Same thing, different criteria by officials. That’s not good for basketball.

Thanks
(written from LAL fan in Serbia; don’t like Miami; don’t like James, like Chicago, but in this case, must be objective)

nazr was pushed away by lebron as a reaction, not his fault that nazr weakly fell. lebron flopped on the shove which did not warrant an ejection. bottomline is, nazr gave the wrap around foul, got shoved but got lebron t’ed up, he should have stayed down.

the andersen bump was due to momentum. it did not warrant a shove by noah because if you look at it again, nate was between andersen’s body and arm but was in no way impeded. heck, not even a single part of the 2 players were touching that the bulls bench got surprised by the noah push.

the noah rebound was a phantom foul. the lebron and1 shoukd have been a foul on the helper, not on butler.

the bulls brought the physicality knowing that calls would hardly go their way. its the way of the nba. but the calls are only part of it, people still got to play. they should know, they enjoyed 6 championships getting the same favors for the greatest ever.

Miami always had the refs on theyre side since queen james became apart of them,iverson used to get destroyed with not nearly half the foul calls queen james gets,dont know why the bulls are surprised by this “conspiracy” james is ALWAYS naggin the refs even more than kobe now..

“The Heat do seem to aim their falls so they land on opposing players”- are you even serious about this steve?! have you watched the game while they do the replay over and over again?! Chris clearly went for the ball and with his momentum and trajection CANT, AND BY ANY MEANS, choose or as you imply aim to land on players.. Poor, you, clearly a hater.. I also like the Bulls, but this article is just plain subjective.

Chicago plays physically more than what is allowed in the court. That’s why they are getting called with the more fouls. Whining isn’t going to cut it. Miami just brought it to them and it looks like Chicago doesn’t like being served their own medicine. There is no room for rough-housing in the first place. Chicago just have to play basketball and not football in the court.

It’s only fitting that Nazr got ejected. You don’t push someone hard on the floor and still believe its just a simple foul. Get out man. That’s just dirty.

I’m a fan of NBA basketball in general. The one thing the Bulls are good at is hurting people and not play basketball. 90% of the time they step into the court, their number 1 priority is commit hard fouls or flagrant fouls, scoring just comes second. That’s why they don’t win basketball games that much. NBA should not tolerate these kinds of unnecessary hard plays…

Every comment is moderated. That just demonstrates how biased and anti-Miami some fans are. Miami can’t win without cheating, or getting help from the refs etc The fact is, yes superstars get more calls – I agree that it’s a problem, but you cannot deny the Bulls played dirty and did not deserve to win

I am a Michael Jordan Fan. Their era is really a hard act to follow. I LIKED Chicago Bulls before the injury of DROSE. I like the guy. He is a very good player & very humble. But it seems this season, the rest of the players forgot all about the goodness of DROSE which infected them somewhat and shifted now into the bully type. Becoming second best to the Celtics. They are now afraid of their own ghost so they are trying to scare the MIAMI HEAT with their physical brand of play. Noah & Boozer’s antics are so over the board. And NateRob? Just fly with your overactingmouth! Luol Deng — get well soon man! Oh by the way, who cares about … Kirk Hinders?… What’s his name???!!! Who cares!!!

the referees are so biased towards Miami Heat and Lebron James, yes chicago brought its physicality but that is just the way how basketball should be played, there’s nothing wrong with that, but when the referees call the Bulls’ on unnecessary fouls, then that is biased because that would impact the game, NBA should allow more emotions and physicality on the court like back in the days. and the referees have to make the right calls or else the whole league is just unfair because Miami Heat is getting what ever they want. NOne of Miami’s trade or signing free agents have been stopped, they have always had the calls on their side, if there is every an unambigious call, miami always wins out, and that’s just how biased NBA is. Chicago is just a great team that played their hearts out every single night with only a handful of players available and its unfair that all their players get called for unnecessary fouls when they are already down in numbers. Wake up NBA, GET THE CALLS RIGHT!

Welp way twitter sees it, teams like Miami and company are getting helped by the refs. Name of the game is consistency. Impossible to ref a one hundred percent accurate game, but once you call something on one side, you have to call it on the other. Once Butler gets into foul trouble on touch fouls, you have to call those same touch fouls on James or Wade when they defend. When Boozer and Belleneli get hit on the wrist on their jump shots, you have to call that. The same way you call and one’s for Norris Cole of all people and Miami’s superstars in general.

It won’t happen. NBA has no transparency. Officials are protected and are above criticism from everyone apparently. In the day and age of Twitter and such, getting harder to hide an ever growing majority of people noticing, and eventually you are going to come across a competitive and emotional guy who isn’t going to stand for it. He’ll either really take it out on the superstars or maybe on a ref themselves. Not saying I’d condone such an action, be the bigger man and all, but I wouldn’t be surprised by it.

I mean not for nothing but Joey Crawford has always been a known bad ref, but at least on both sides. Center of attention and all that, and honestly more often than not he does call the opposite side of the other refs which kind of balance out, sometimes. But Guthrie? He is just a horrible official. I mean he just loves superstars and superstar teams. I’ve seen him go almost entire games just blowing the whistle for one team. I mean tonight I don’t think he blew one whistle against any of the big three and when a fifty/fifty call happened, it always went in favor of Miami when he was blowing the whistle. Yet a guy like this is in the playoffs? I mean at least show how you grade the refs and have it online. You can even disable comments from it if you so wish, but some level of transparency would be nice. Some accountability.

But meh, as long as the script plays out the way it’s supposed to I guess. The bandwagon fans of the NBA will keep on coming. Eventually the diehards will stop. Hope the bandwagon is a fine enough foundation to stand on for the long term. Especially considering it’s the interweb’s era and all.

Bulls think they can beat the Heat by “physically” beating them. Well, they’re wrong. The Heat do get frustrated as would any team. The push on LeBron was not a flop. That was totally uncalled for. If he knew he would get pushed and if he had established a good position to not fall down, he wouldn’t have fallen. It’s not like Nazr is a weak guy. Bulls think they’re the best. They’re not. I respect how they’re playing tough but this is getting way out of line. Noah thinks he’s the strongest guy on the court. LeBron would eat that guy alive. I expect Game 4 to be more physical since Bulls are down 2-1 and they’re playing at their own court. They’ll do whatever it takes to win. Ultimately, they’ll fall short like they did in 2010 ECF when Bulls lost 4 straight. Heat in 5. Mark my words.

Why are they whining now? Just trying to win the game by making hard fouls and physical play is not going to help in the long run. Chicago started it and the bully is now whining and crying. huh, what a bunch of whiners! Take that Bulls, you deserved the thumping in game 2 and you deserve the lose the series. Heat will make it 4-1 and take the series!

Chicago knows that they will not win the series if they will not play with much physicality. They are trying to bully the heat, hoping LeBron will get mad and be ejected or suspended, thus giving them a chance to win. Or maybe they are trying to injure the Heat. They can play physical but not dirty, like the Pacers. They started this, and the Heat are just returning the favor. Now don’t complain about the outcome of the games

The Spoelstra was right. Chicago could not get stops when it needed them down the stretch
The Miami fragrant foulls are smart fouls and bulls fragrant foul are more like slaps and blows and we just take it because we were expecting the bulls to play that way.

Now the Chicago fans can cry all day and night if they wish. They are not winning 3 out of the rest 4 games. They wish… They brought in the physicality so now have a taste of your own medicine and get ejected. Noah and Mohammed seriously? loll. Tom Thibadeau their head coach after the game in press conference? Can’t even answer the questions right, lebron flopped? lol funny

The Bulls flop like crazy, including “Hollywood as hell” Noah. Meanwhile they;re complaining about James flopping on a full-blooded two-handed shove to the chest which happened after the whistle and right in front of the ref. EVen if James keeps his balance that’s an ejection- they just T’d up James for nothing more than trying to get rid of the guy wrapping him up, they can’t just give the same punishment to what Mohammed did, he escalated it, that’s an ejection.

I understand that trying to work the refs and shove and flop and whine is the only way Chicago can be in this series due to their injury problems, but let’s not praise what they’re doing or act like they’re basketball saints. They’re whinging hypocrites.

The bulls react to plays like they are playing street ball. Getting up and pushing another player that’s is a clear attempt to start a fight and if that was Rondo, Artest that would have been a fight. Noa went and pushed Bird that could also have been a fight.
Noa was clapping and trying to aggravate bosh as bosh was speaking to chalmers. Half of Noa offensive rebound are offensive fouls reach over the back but the refs don’t often call it

Game 1: Bulls shoot 4 more free throws than the Heat in a narrow win.
Game 2: Heat shoot 8 more free throws than the Bulls in a 37-point win.
Game 3: Heat shoot 3 more free throws than the Bulls in a 10-point win, but actually had 3 less until Bulls started intentionally fouling with 1 minute left.

And that’s with the Heat getting 2 out of 3 games at home, the Bulls playing some of the most physical defense in the league, the Heat having two of the best drivers in the league, and the Bulls not having anyone who can reliably draw fouls inside. And the Bulls are actually complaining at this stage?

Chicago started something they can’t finish. They have no skills at all so they started playing rough with Miami and tried to be a bully. Now all of a sudden they are going to start complaining when given a dose of their own medicine. Get Real. Play clean basketball and none of this will follow. Did ya’ll see the foul on Mario chalmers when he was moving through transition and Taj Gibson didn’t even try to play defense just pushed him real hard into the cameramen. These guys are dirty

“they have no skills at all”? wtf are you trying to write. imagine your heat playing all season without lebron and most of the most important games without wade, bosh and, let’s say chalmers. because that’s what chicago is doing right now. playing without 3 starters (including 2 all-stars) and the first bench guy. and STILL, miami must get help from the refs to win the game. so what lack of skills are you talking about? show me other nba team that would go into conference semis with so many most important players out.

someone knows what there talking about. the bulls have nobody right now they really have to depend on a bench player(robinson) to run there team who has been playing well and boozer.they really shoudnt have won any games. And also james get special treatment most stars do.Gibson is not gunna get call like lebron. belineli is not gunna get call like wade and then there bosh these player all get speail treatment how can u win.

all games? you mean only Rose? if their coach didn’t run players into the ground they wouldn’t be in this mess. when rose got injured they were up by 12 with about a minute left. all they had to do was waste time, but no, instead they decided they actually need to score more when the team they’re facing doesn’t have a scorer that can actually bring them back. and the most important games is because they played too many minutes, not from a freak injury. and have you seen wade this series? he’s injured and still playing, like noah, and he obviously isn’t 100%. not saying their anywhere close to being outmanned like the bulls, but give them credit for staying healthy. this is seriously one of, if no the first time, that people complain about another team staying healthy for most of the season. maybe other teams should see how they take care of themselves so they can do better? because Chicago must not know how. and Chicago is just being dirty. I started getting bored of the games because all they do is try and be tough, but then Miami fights back a little and people complain about calls and them being dirty and all this. the only time a game is called perfectly is when Miami loses, but Miami is so way over favored that they win? if this is the case, then Jordan should thank the refs and stern for all his championships. the only people getting objected are bulls players, not Miami. that’s not from them being favored either, it’s because Chicago starts everything.

I agree. The Chicago Bulls right now are too far from Jordan team. This team are playing dirty basketball, they wanted to play rough basketball on any team right now. Maybe it’s their coach fault and part of their plan. Maybe the Bulls organization need to find a real coach that can make clean plays for the team.

That is human nature, if people are losing then they tend to blame is on others but on a good day there is no way the Bulls can beat Miami in a 7 game series so they should live with that and learn how to play decent game with maturity. I chose Miami to win this years championship, thx

Which ones were those exactly, apart from the push in the back on Lebron which I admit wasn’t a foul but it was already over by then. What about the phantom foul called on Battier that was clearly a charge on the Bulls that got him his 6th foul. How about the obvious clear path by Robinson on Lebron which would have given the Heat two free throws and possession that could have put the m up by 6 which they didn’t even bother to look at. Talk about being “one-eyed”.

Really? Memphis? And Miami getting more calls? Some just don’t know basketball or ever even played the game. Pushing and shoving isn’t basketball. Getting angry over those selfish plays leading to ejections are a coaches responsibility. If you can’t lead then you can’t coach.

I agree that the Bulls aren’t playing clean at all and that really annoys me too, but come on, they’re up against the defending champion Miami Heat, with their team shrunk down to only a few players. Give them a little credit, they haven’t been whining into the cameras all that much yet, as some other teams might do in their position. And they do have some skill, even if it’s not enough to beat the Heat this time around. I’m personally not a Bulls fan, but I think they’re just letting out some pent-up frustration, which is fine by me.

Yes sure, refs are helping out Miami…I will only mention two clear calls in favor of the Bulls.
Clear Path foul on Lebron…refs gives a normal foul – that’s 2 foul shots and the ball (potential easy 4 points)
and blocking foul on Shane. Bulls need to stop crying about physical play because that it’s their style of play.
Play the game #HeatNation#

Bulls Coach said he was looking at what’s happening very closely and will adapt accordingly…was that a threat???
Are you going to tell you’re guys to hurt the Heat players when your down in game 4?
I am not overreacting really listen to his post game interview.

I saw those two plays and there was two more just like that also went the bulls way, so them complaining is total BS. The Bulls are deliberately coming out aggressive and physical like Lebron said in the streak ending loss, those aren’t basketball plays.

I do not think that the Bulls have a problem with the physicality of play. They did bring it on, and deserve any ejections thrown their way for playing a little too rough. That is not at all what the Bulls are complaining about. They are complaining that the refs seem to be so blinded by the star power of James, Wade, and Bosch that it affects the outcome of the game. There were a number of fouls called towards the end that clearly favored the Heat, and had a huge impact on determining the way the game ended. Even the announcers were stunned at a few of the calls. I’ll tell you right now, if any player not named “Lebron James” threw as many armbars to clear space for a shot or ran straight through as many players on the way to the rim, they would foul out in the first quarter. Since the Bulls have no stars of their own right now, they don’t stand a chance of getting any of those calls, and seem to be doomed to fight a losing battle determined by the refs whistle rather than any play of their own or their opponents.

The bulls are playing dirty basketball. There were two fouls near the end that were questionable: One is Shane’s blocking call (clearly a charge) and Noah’s foul on Bosh (clearly not a foul). Those two negate each other. Also, it looks like the Bulls are out to hurt people (Lebron) and in case you don’t realize it, Lebron is the future of the league like it or not. At times I thought I was watching hockey, not basketball. Basketball is not a free-for-all with grabs and shoves. Who I feel sorry for is Rose who has to keep quiet and stick up for his team even though he knows the bulls are playing dirty. Such a shame because Rose is very talented and from what I saw of Rose last year, he would not approve of the way the Bulls are playing. Bottom line, if you win, you should win clean, if you lose, you should lose clean. BTW if you do stupidity like shove anderson, shove james, you MUST expect the refs not to give you calls. That’s just common sense.

The bulls stamped that on them selves by playing “physical / dirty” so of course they will get called for any small contact because that is their style of play ” foul on every opponent possession” so live with it or quit it and play clean basketball. Beat the teams with skill not fouls. They have ruined the bulls reputation.

The Miami heat whine about calls but that’s okay!The bulls have never played dirty basketballbut when you play hard defense and the team you are playing is playing hard defense all the bulls been asking all year is too just call the games fairly.Sticking you but out to push back a defender is a no call or offensive foul not a defensive foul.As far as the person who made the comment about derrick rose,come to the southside Englewood area he was raise in and ask those people is he soft and see how long you last in that neighborhood.You people are dumb so dumb that you do not know how to make your own toilet tissue to clean your but after you sh**but claim that you are independent,thats sounds like you are depedent to me.It seems like Tim Donaghy was right or by the he made over a hundred calls to an official guess who it was Scott Foster yeah the same one who kick Noah and Gibson out of game 2.The they boss showed up for game 3, Crawford.Enough said for you Miami heat fans ask chris webber how he felt in 2002.

Really? Memphis? And Miami getting more calls? Some just don’t know basketball or ever even played the game. Pushing and shoving isn’t basketball. Getting angry over those selfish plays leading to ejections are a coaches responsibility. If you can’t lead then you can’t coach.

You know whats very interesting? The fact that when Chicago makes a physical play its labeled as “dirty”. But when Birdman launches himself at Nate likes hes a damn linebacker, or Nate has his face steped on, nobody says a word. Or how about the time Chalmers blatantly arm bars Noah? You all are a bunch of biased f*&ks. The reality is Miami wouldn’t even have gotten to the Semis if Lebron was out, Wade had a busted calf in the playoffs, and Bosh had PF like Noah. Bulls have no skills? They are the definition of skills and heart. And yall STILL needed that damn bulls**t offensive foul call with 3:15 left to win. Miami fans love to talk s**t. Although half of you only became “fans” when Lebron got there. Its cool though. We will see how much talk Miami has when Chicago is maxed out next year. Congrats heat fans, your team beat Chicagos bench. That’s like bragging about winning a track meet against someone with arthritis.

If they play clean basket ball they would have a chance to get to the eastern finals with their style of play when a team becomes more physical with them it just frustrates them ” we are the bullies of nba and being bullied” and in return they don’t know how to play any more

Miami like many other teams in the league, play clean basketball and rather have a non physical game, the Bulls brought all this physicality and foul play into the series, because they don’t think they can win without trying to break the opposition(physically or mentally), so they should spare us all this whining and complaining.They asked for physical play, they got physical play.

I agree 100%. And i want to add that this article is so bias.
If you saw that game, and you saw the way these bulls played. I mean they have heart, but they are using that heart to try to win without playing basketball.
They foul everytime miami starts going on the fast break (what kind of play is that? it’s bad for fans and the game…) And one of the fouls was clear path (shoulda been free throws ATLEAST) at a defining part of the game and it wasn’t called or reviewed.

As for nazr mohommad’s push, we all know lebron james’ strength. We know if he strengthed his legs, he could have not fallen, but he stayed loose and so he fell over. But this just highlights more Lebron’s basketball IQ. He knows the game, he knows the way emotions are involved and can interfere with the flow of the game. That’s why he makes sure two things: 1) he doesn’t let it affect him. 2) if you try to make it affect him, you’ll pay for it, and then it will affect you.

And bulls’ fans are complaining…Lol…Seriously? The bulls got the call, the technical on james was called first and frankly looked like the call itself was questionable on replay (lebron’s arm got stuck). But they got the call, THEN nazr pushed him. And the bulls cheered him on lol. Are you kidding me? That was such a horrible decision on Nazr’s part.
Really, I think maybe he was trying to get lebron to push him back so that they both get ejected or something.

Bulls are trolls man. They try to be bullies. At some point in the game bosh was yelling at chalmers, and noah got in their face and started clapping. He was trying to provoke a reaction out of them, and that just reeks of dirty play.
That is not how to win ball games.

Yeah, I hope someone there trying to inform LeBron of the fact that the Bulls are trying to solve their bad bench players to foul-out or eject LeBron in a game and win a LeBron-less team as they know with LeBron, they have nearly no chance of getting the series.

Don’t kid yourselves Miami fans, once another team sells more merch, the calls will go somewhere else. No one mentions Wade breaking Kobe’s face at the all star game as a cheap, dirty play or Wade hitting Rondo in the face in OT of a critical playoff game with no call or Bosh or Wade or Lebron or Battier constantly flopping. Miami fans just watch highlights so it’s either a bunch of dunks or a bunch of technicals and when they don’t get all their fast break footage the fans winge. They should be destroying the Bulls but they lost game one because they are a bunch of arrogant punks who thinks they are entitled to a dynasty without some hard work. This is what we reward and this is what our game at the highest level teaches our kids. When Avery Bradley plays D as physically on the ball as a Heat guard he sits on the bench in foul trouble. When anyone else turns constantly to the ref and complains like Lebron they get Teched (except maybe Kobe). Miami are an awesome team but they are a disgrace to what role models should be. Lebron might be the best player statistically ever but he lacks Jordan’s poise, Bird’s competitiveness and Magic’s sportsmanship – just look at how good his team has to be to win. It’s like putting Jordan, Dr J and Malone on the same team.

Cry-Town fans and players, by textbook definition, are sore losers. They know they don’t have the talent to beat Miami, so they decide to play dirty. And when that doesn’t work, the only left to do…if you’re a whiny little $&*%&…is to blame the Zebras. Quit cryin’ and accept your fate!

I have watched all the playoff games and the game Miami lost the “intensety” was not there. I firmely beleive defense wins. Look at the Goldenstate Warriors, they are a score machine and yet they lose games. The Bulls must realize if you shake a bears cage you might get bit.

Chicago bulls should be playing hockey they have no basket ball play other than slapping the arms and shoving and commuting fouls . That is not defense it is dirty play. Even their coach tom complaining about the physical play when it happens to his players but he doesn’t tell them to play clean, he even pushed bird man when nazr pushed lebron instead of controlling his own player.

I totally agree, and why do they keep referring to the Bulls as “the outnumbered bulls”. Is that going to be their excuse when they get their butts kicked ? It’s not Miami’s fault they have a lot of injuries. If they don’t have enough players then go home. Don’t look for pity here, big bad bulls, we are playing play off basketball. The Heat are ready because they are good, plain and simple…..Go Heat Go !!